✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

32 | FANTOD

Tessa grabbed the opportunity. "But she's not — she's Catherine."

The laugh that left Sirius made Tessa beam. The fact that she had more family made her heart warm as it spread throughout her. He shook his head to himself. "Truly your mother's daughter — the amount of Sirius jokes she was unable to keep to herself."

She scoffed playfully. "You have no idea how many of them I've come up with, but never found the right moment to say it." She glanced at him from the corner of her eye as she said quietly, "Harry might have known you were his godfather, but I actually didn't. I just found out when you said it."

Sirius let out a soft puff of breath. "When your mother was pregnant, she had hoped for twins so that Remus and I could be the godfather for each. But when you were born, your parents, Remus, and I collectively agreed that I should be your godfather. When Harry was born, it was supposed to be Remus — I don't know what agreement they had, but it became me again."

Tessa cocked her head to the side. "Can I ask — what was my mother like?"

A breathy chuckle left Sirius as he glanced up at the starry sky. "Catherine was a ball of fire — brave, beautiful, and fearless. She was selfless — the fact that she gave up her life in the end. One would think it was incredibly selfish of her to sacrifice herself, but I think she did it while thinking of the greater good." He turned to ruffle the top of her head. "From what I've heard about you so far — I can say, without a doubt, you're twice as mischievous as your parents were." He laughed and shook his head. "She was your father's everything — his sun, moon, and stars. She was his whole world." Sirius smiled — one that held pain and sadness. "A love so pure and unrivaled, no one can compete with that."

It was now or never. Gathering up her courage, Tessa finally blurted it out. "Who's my father? Please — I need to know."

Sirius cut his eyes to her, eyebrows furrowing as a scowl tugged his lips. "What are you talking about? How do you not know who your own father is?"

Tessa was shaking her head. "Nobody would tell me. They all say it's not time yet — Uncle Kasi thinks that he's not the right person to tell me. That I need to hear it from someone else."

Sirius grunted. "Kasimir, that git. Tessa, your father is — "

     He froze, turning so still Tessa didn't think he was even breathing. A cloud had shifted, spilling moonlight over them all as both of them swiveled to face Remus. He had gone rigid — absolutely rigid as his limbs began to shake. Tessa glanced behind her to see that they were a long way from the Shrieking Shack.

     "Oh, my," Hermione suddenly gasped as she stumbled backwards into Tessa. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"

     "Run," Sirius whispered. "Run. Now."

     Tessa and Harry shared a look, both glued to the ground as they hesitated. Ron was still chained to Pettigrew and Remus, they couldn't just leave him. Tessa made a move to go over to the redhead, but Sirius stuck an arm out barricading her from moving closer. "Leave it to me — RUN!"

     There was a snarling noise as Remus's head and body lengthened. His shoulders hunched as fur started to cover his entire body. He snapped his long jaws menacingly as both Tessa and Hermione let out silent shrieks and fell against each other.

     Tessa wildly turned to Sirius, only to find that he had already transformed back to the enormous, bearlike dog. He bounded forward as Remus yanked himself free from the chains binding him to Ron and Pettigrew. Suddenly, the two canines locked with each other — razor sharp teeth and claws trying to slice the other to ribbons.