Daughter of Mine | Harry Potter

V.

Lalia was sitting in Charms class attentively. She enjoyed the subject, especially because of Professor Flitwick's excitement.

When the class had ended, Professor Flitwick raised his hand calmly to make an announcement.

"Since I am your head of house, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so please all don't forget."

After everyone left the classroom, Lalia made her way down to the front.

"Professor, I don't think I ever received a form. Can I have one to give to my dad?"

"Ah, of course, Miss Black. Here you go."

She smiled gratefully at Flitwick and left to go to the Great Hall.

After a quick lunch which consisted of her and Harry stealing glances at each other, she made her way to her dad's office.

"Daaad," Lalia sang. Her head was peeking around his door frame into his classroom where he sat working at his desk.

Glancing over at his daughter, he smiled. "Yes, Lalia?"

"Professor Flitwick reminded us to submit our Hogsmeade forms, but I don't remember getting one. So, he gave me another."

The girl skipped over to her dad's desk with a loose parchment in her hand. She placed it on top of the papers he was grading and smiled at him.

Remus looked from the permission slip to the grin on her face and sighed.

"I didn't give it you because you aren't going to Hogsmeade, Lalia."

Remus spoke in the softest voice he could, but the sudden change of the girl's face still made his heart clench.

"What?" She asked. She blinked multiple times, feeling as if she was going crazy.

"You aren't going." Remus looked down to avoid her eyes for longer. He removed the slip and returned to the work he had been doing.

"But... But why?" She asked.

"Need I remind you that your murdering father is on the loose and no one has any clue to where he is." Remus words came out harsher than he meant, as he rushed to finish the conversation.

Even while looking at his paper, he saw his daughter visibly flinch at the words about her father.

"So! Who cares! He's not after me! If he has some revenge plan for his master then he's going after Harry! I have nothing to do with him and his fascination with his dumb master!" Lalia began shouting, becoming defensive of the idea.

"Keep your voice down. You are not to speak of that. Harry doesn't know," Remus scolded her. "Regardless, I'm your parent and I don't think it's safe for you."

"Safe for me!? I live with you and a ton of people would argue that that isn't safe for me!"

Remus reeled back at her insinuation.

"You live in my house and I am in charge of you! What I say goes!"

"You're not my dad! Like you said my dad, my biological dad, is just a murderer on the loose." Her voice had dropped off and her eyes had filled with tears.

Lalia turned around and ran out of the room.

Remus dropped his head into his hands. He began roughly rubbing his hair and cheeks. He was shocked at how much her words about her not being safe around him and him not being her father hurt him. He knew he was not her biological father, but that was his daughter and she had never had an issue with him being her dad before.