Make Me.

Book 2 - Chapter 5

"You were the one who said no secrets!" Ellie called across the kitchen counter. Remus had his head in his hands, rubbing his face, his elbows on the counter holding his body up. 

"Yes. Well, that was before Arthur started a fight in the middle of Diagon Alley," Remus grumbled. 

"I thought you'd at least be pleased that he was trying to protect me," said Ellie. 

"I was - I am - it's just, Lucius Malfoy of all people. Arthur chose Lucius Malfoy." 

"I know the Malfoys are horrible but, I - I mean it could have been worse - " 

Remus looked up to his daughter, looking quite distraught. 

"No, darling. It couldn't. Lucius Malfoy is the worst it could have been. He already doesn't like the Weasleys. He definitely doesn't like me. And now - " Remus was motioning wildly at the girl across from him. 

"What? It's not like he didn't know I existed until yesterday." 

"I know. It's just - I don't want you to have another target on your back. Lot's of people already aren't fond of you. And, you've - you've got a - " Remus stopped himself and sighed. 

"Child murdering dark wizard after me. Is that what you were going to say?" Ellie cocked her head lightly as she spoke. 

Remus huffed.

"Yes. And the chance that Lucius Malfoy is still involved with - him - well, I'm going to bet it's not zero. So, I really don't need you getting mixed up with the Malfoys any more than you already are." 

Ellie looked at her father who was now standing with his arms crossed against his chest. She swallowed thickly and averted her eyes from his gaze. 

"So, uhm - now wouldn't be the time to tell you - that - well, you see when Harry came out at Knockturn Alley, rather than Diagon Alley, and he saw the Malfoys - apparently - and these are Harry's words not mine," Ellie was rambling, "apparently, Malfoy, the little one, Draco Malfoy - wouldn't stop talking about Harry and I all summer - and, Harry said his father was upset that I got top of class over Malfoy." 

Remus's head dropped down to his chest, his hair flopping down over his eyes with a huff. 

"Ellie, how often do you talk to Draco when you're at school?" Remus spoke down to his chest before looking back up to his daughter, who was pulling at the collar of her sweater. 

"Just like - every - day." Ellie threw her hand up in the air and pointed at her father as she continued to speak quickly. "But, but - speak is maybe not the word I'd use. Try, threaten or insult, those are more accurate." 

Remus looked to be holding his hands back from reaching up to his head and pulling all his hair out. He took a calming breath before leaning back down on the counter and inching across it, very close to Ellie's face. 

"Ellie. You're 12. I - " Remus seemed to have lost all the will to say whatever he had wanted to and rather his arms collapsed onto the counter, his head resting on them, shaking back and forth. "I - I don't know. I wasn't meant for this," he muttered. Ellie wasn't meant to hear him but she did and she reached a hand out to pat his shoulder. 

~~~

A weight lifted of Ellie's shoulders as she walked through the brick barrier that separated platform nine and three quarters from the rest of King's Cross Station. She felt quite relieved knowing that they had made it to September first, and she was set to board the Hogwarts Express with the rest of her second year schoolmates. After her trip to Diagon Alley with the Weasleys, Ellie was sure her father was going to go back on his word and end up keeping her home for the year.