At the beginning of the year, Allie was no one
Now she's infamous
**
Until her eleventh birthday, Allie didn't believe in magic. How could she when her mother had died when she was barely two and her father had never been around. Her life wasn't ver...
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"Family trouble?" Lupin asked, showing me into his office and perching on the edge of his desk. I loitered around apprehensive before taking a seat opposite him.
"Sort of..." I said, answering the best I could. I didn't really know how to say "Professor, I think you might be my father" without scaring him off. And what if I was wrong? That would ruin everything! I'd look a fool and Professor Lupin was a good teacher, I really liked his lessons and I didn't want to spend every defense against the dark arts lesson cringing for an hour.
"Chocolate?" Lupin asked, opening a draw in his desk that only had chocolate in it, "I find it-"
"Makes everything better," I said, out of habit. At first, I felt embarrassed, I didn't mean to cut him off like that but he smiled and before I knew it I was smiling too.
"Well then, what can I help you with?"
Here was my chance. Just say 'Professor, are you my dad?'. Just say it, Allie. You want answers, don't you? Just ask him!
And my words have failed me. I can't open my mouth. This is pathetic. Just show him the photo and let it talk for you.
I slipped my hand in my pocket and, careful not to crumple the polaroid, took the photo out of my pocket and placed it face up on the desk. It just stared up at us both. Talk about the elephant in the room...
Lupin looked down at it and folded his arms.
"Ah."
Ah indeed.
"I never knew my mum very well," I said, after Lupin had failed to say anything for a good long while. I'm not sure if it helped ease the tension as both of us looked as awkward and uncomfortable as the other, "Well, I- I just wondered what you could tell me about her." I said. I tried to say 'I wanted to know if you're my dad' but again, I got too awkward and bailed.
Lupin's eyes softened as he looked at the photo, probably looking at my mum. The corners of his mouth were tugged upwards.
"I'm not sure how much your mother would like me to tell you," He said, evasively, looking at me finally and not just the photo.
"She's not the one who's asking," I said almost tentatively. Lupin chuckled and a lot of my anxiety faded away. Don't get me wrong, I was still unbelievably awkward but I felt confident enough to get through this conversation.
"You are so much like her," He smirked, "You're the spitting image of her."
I'd heard that all my life. Sarah told me practically every time she saw me. But for some reason, hearing it from Professor Lupin, someone who had apparently known her very well, it made me proud.
"Except for your eyes," Lupin continued with a wistful sigh, "You have your father's eyes."
"You knew my father?" I asked, although I was fairly sure the photo answered that. All I needed was for Lupin to admit it. Lupin sighed deeply. Had I pressed too hard? Was he going to ask me to leave? I was going to get no answers...
