In Your Shadow ✓

Chapter 41

On Saturday afternoon, Hogsmeade was full of Hogwarts students. Mia was walking down the High Street alone, staring down at the snow beneath her black boots. Feeling annoyed by the loud noises, she started making her way towards the Shrieking Shack.

She stopped to observe the building from afar, trying hard not to think about anything and just enjoy the fresh air.

A few minutes later her peace was ruined by a bright light. Frowning, she looked down at the blueish-white peacock that appeared in front of her.

"Please come to the Hog's Head," she heard her father's voice.

After the message was delivered, the peacock disappeared, leaving Mia alone once again.

She blinked, then turned around and started walking towards the pub of her father's choice. On her way, she adjusted her clothes slightly and smoothed her hair down. She straightened her posture and walked up to the entrance of the inn where Draco was waiting for her.

When he saw her, he let out a sigh of relief. "You came," he said quietly.

Mia furrowed her eyebrows. "Of course," she nodded politely. "Are Mason and Kaden coming too?"

"Oh, no," Draco shook his head. "I would like to talk to you in private."

She gulped. "Alright," she said, preparing herself for the worst.

Draco opened the door. "I know this is not the classiest place, but at least it's not crowded. Stay close to me, though, you never know what kind of people you'll run into in here."

Mia's eyes widened, but she followed her father inside silently.

The pub was, in fact, quite empty. Other than the bartender and an old man sitting on one of the stools, they were alone.

Draco glanced around, then he turned to look at his daughter. "It seems fine today. You can go ahead and sit down somewhere, I'll get us something to drink. What would you like?"

She shrugged. "I'll have whatever you have."

"So a Firewhiskey, then?" Draco asked jokingly.

"Yeah, that's fine," she nodded.

His eyes went wide. "Oh... alright, then. Go, sit down, I'll be right there."

"Okay."

Mia turned around and walked over to a small table in the corner with two chairs and sat down on one of them.

A few seconds of waiting later, Draco arrived at the table and put the drinks down before taking a seat opposite of her. Mia wrapped her fingers around the glass in front of her, waiting for her father to say something, but he was quiet.

"So... your Patronus is a peacock, huh?" She asked, glancing up at him.

"Yes," he nodded. "What's yours?"

"What makes you think I can produce one?" She raised one of her eyebrows.

"Because you're you," Draco said matter-of-factly.

Forcing herself not to smile, she took a sip out of her Firewhiskey.

Draco raised his eyebrows at her. "You know, when I was your age, I made your mother try Firewhiskey for the first time," he remembered. "She hated it, though. Said it was worse than Butterbeer."

Mia put the glass down. "Well, I don't hate it."

The corners of his mouth turned upwards slightly. "You look a lot like her, you know."

"Do I?" She asked back, surprised.

"Yeah... you're nothing like her, though." He sighed, then took a sip out of his drink. "I hoped you would be."