Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
BEAUXBATONS ACADEMY. ┕━━━━━━━★━━━━━━━┙
BRIAR'S BODY felt numb as she followed Professor McGonagall to the Headmaster's office, but her mind was racing. She'd expected her father to write, to perhaps demand an explanation for what Lucius must have told him. But she'd never thought that the matter was big enough for her father to come racing down to the school himself!
Christian D'Alessio was one of the school's trustees. He'd been coaxed into the job by her Uncle Abraxas Malfoy. From the start, Briar's father had expressed clearly his distaste for the job. He was a busy man who worked in a high-ranking position with the Department of International Magical Co-operation, often acting as an ambassador to various countries. He had little time to deal with the affairs of running a school. Only his respect for his wife's brother had stopped him from withdrawing from the position.
Briar felt almost nauseous as Professor McGonagall murmured some absurd password, and the gargoyle moved aside. She gestured for her to step onto the staircase and the teenage girl did so, her heart beating rapidly. She waited while the staircase moved.
"Ah, Miss D'Alessio, do come in," Professor Dumbledore's voice said cheerfully, as Briar stepped into his office. The Headmaster was sitting behind his desk with a pleasant smile, while Christian D'Alessio sat opposite him, stone-faced. His expression almost made Briar want to run out of the room. "Your father has been kind enough to pay us a visit, this afternoon."
Christian D'Alessio smiled politely then, standing to shake hands with Dumbledore. "Thank you Professor, it has been most enjoyable, conversing with you. Would you mind terribly if I took a walk with my daughter?"
Professor Dumbledore shook his head. "By all means,"
Christian turned around, and walked over to his daughter. He was still smiling, but that didn't mean that Briar's heartbeat had reduced at all. He put an arm on her shoulder, and they both silently stepped back onto the staircase.
"How have you been, Briar?" Christian asked, as they stopped out into the corridor. "Your mother's been terribly worried about you."
"I'm, um, I'm all right," Briar replied hesitantly.
" Your studies are going well?"
"Yes."
Christian nodded, as he they walked downstairs. Many students were walking past the corridor, and they had to wait a moment to find space to walk. "Your Uncle Abraxas asked me to come down here and check on a few things to do with the school. He's busy with Ministry work, I'm afraid."
