In The Shadows² ★ Draco Malfoy

*Professor McGonagall

On Monday morning, Briar walked into breakfast and her first class of Transfiguration still wearing a smile after her victory this weekend against Slytherin. But when she sat down next to Ginny, the redhead had a crestfallen look which made Briar concerned

"What's wrong?" She asked her best friend

"You didn't hear?" Ginny asked and Briar shook her head "Harry told Ron that last night Colin was found petrified. They brought him into the hospital wing"

"Oh my gosh" Briar gasped. Colin was her herbology partner and despite his obsession with his camera, and Harry in particular, he was a nice boy and he always helped her out when she needed it

When Mrs Norris was attacked, Briar had been frightened, but now that her classmate and friend had been attacked she was beyond scared. 

From her place at the front of the room, Minerva McGonagall was trying to keep her students' minds on their education and working instead of being afraid or paranoid about the attacks this term. But given that this was Colin's year group, she knew that no matter how hard she tried to teach them, their minds were all full of worry for him

In particular, she glanced at Briar Lupin who's hands had been busy twirling her quill between her fingers for the entire lesson and her heart sank a little more in her chest

So when she dismissed the class, she approached Briar's desk "Ms Lupin, if you wouldn't mind staying for a few moments. And Ms Weasley could you please inform your next professor that she is with me"

Ginny nodded shakily and hurried out of the room, leaving Briar with Professor McGonagall, the former of whom was watching her teacher pace at the front of the room

"If you don't mind me asking, professor, but why did you want to see me?" she asked

"Ms Lupin" McGonagall sighed and leaned against her desk "Since you arrived at Hogwarts, I have been curious about you, particularly about your father." Briar's face filled with shock "I taught him when he was a student here and I am aware it isn't my position, but after his mother passed I remember him telling me how hard it was to not have a mother to guide him through his final years and I can imagine you may feel the same about your father, am I right?"

Briar had always known she was adopted, but the Forrests were her new family and she was so happy with them that she never really minded. But, she couldn't deny that since arriving at Hogwarts she had been imagining what he had been like. Had he been in the same house? Did the teachers remember him? Was he popular? "I guess" she nodded 

"Your father was one of the smartest boys I ever taught" Minerva said, a ghost of a smile on her face "Yet he never paid an ounce of attention in class since he was always busy attempting to get his friends out of trouble."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Briar asked suddenly

"Because," she sighed "Because due to the recent attacks I can imagine it must be frightening to not have him to protect you. And I do not want you to grow up thinking lowly of him. He was an incredibly kind hearted boy who did whatever he could for those he loved"

"Does Professor Snape's dislike of me have something to do with him?" She asked

"Severus and your father did not see eye-to-eye during their time at Hogwarts. Severus was often on the receiving end of the Gryffindor boys' infamous pranks" She explained "I do not think Severus dislikes you, I think he simply cannot dissociate you from your father"

"Oh" Briar said

"Your father was never cruel or harsh to Severus. However, he went along with the pranks." She sighed "We hoped appointing him as a Prefect would teach them some responsibility, but they seemed to use his position to wreak more havoc, and your father protected them. He would never leave those he loved"

"Then why didn't he keep me?" She asked "I know my mum died but why couldn't he raise me? Or at least stay in touch with me? If he loved me so much he wouldn't have left"

"Unfortunately that isn't my place to say" Minerva said "But I want you to know that as long as you are at Hogwarts, I will do whatever I can to help keep you safe. Not only as your head of house, but also as a friend to your father."

Briar didn't know what to say. And it appeared Professor McGonagall didn't either. So the pair fell into a comfortable silence as Briar tried not to break down or cry in front of her teacher. "Thank you," she said after a long while and Minerva smiled in response, before Briar grabbed her bag and hurried out of the room and down to the dungeons where her next class, potions, was

"Ah Ms Lupin," He frowned "Late of course, 10 points from Gryffindor"

Briar didn't bother arguing and instead took her seat next to Henry, silently starting the work they were doing

The rest of the day managed to go smoothly for her, and in the evening she found herself in the library scribbling away at her potions essay he assigned, about the properties of a Bezoar which made it useful 

She was halfway through it when a voice behind her said "That's wrong" Briar jumped and managed to grab her ink bottle before it fell and spilled all over her homework. She then huffed and turned around to see who had spoken to her, surprised to see Malfoy there

"Excuse me?" She asked

"That last sentence, it's wrong" He said, gesturing to her essay. Briar frowned and turned back to the essay "Bezoar's aren't used in stone form, they're powdered"

"Oh" She flushed furiously at being corrected and grabbed her quill to cross the last line out, correcting it quickly. She had hoped to continue her essay in peace but Draco sat in the seat opposite her and she sighed, looking up at him again "Can I help you?"

"No," he shrugged 

"Then why are you here?" She asked

"I can sit wherever I want" He said and Briar rolled her eyes

"Sent flying off your broom and you're still an arsehole. Maybe next time I'll tell Fred to aim a bludger at you" Briar suggested

"I'll tell Flint to punch your stomach instead of the quaffle" He retorted "I heard about Creevey"

"Unless you're the heir of Slytherin I don't see why it affects you" said Briar

"I wish" He snorted 

"Well do you know who it is?" She asked

"Of course I don't" he sighed "My father won't tell me anything"

"What if it's him?" she suggested and he rolled his eyes

"If it was him, he would have cleared this school of mudbloods and half-bloods a long time ago" said Draco

"And the average IQ of this place would have dropped to the negatives" she shot back

"Didn't I just fix your potions essay?" He pointed out

"One line" she clarified "And even if this is right, Snape will still give me a low grade because he hates me"

"Maybe if you were good at potions he wouldn't," Draco suggested and Briar shook her head

Draco grinned to himself when she looked away from him and focused her eyes back on her essay. He enjoyed knowing that he got under her skin, but he also enjoyed it when she fought back and didn't always let him have the last word. He was used to always having his way, and he preferred everything that way, but sometimes it got boring. Sometimes it was more fun to have to fight for his way, and she just happened to give him that