My tremendous intuitive sense of the female creature informs me that you are troubled -- Fall 1999 (DONE)

It was the weekend and that was one nice thing that was different about Alma ALeron and Hogwarts... the kids could come hoem during the weekends if they wanted or do whatever they wanted to do once they were in their last year.  So last night Lyn had her art expo that I was not allowed to go to.  When she came downstairs the next morning in her pajamas and her hair still done up the way it was the night before I smiled at her and offered her a cup of joe.  "Hey sweetie, how'd last night go?" I asked.  I really wished that she would have let me come.  I barely get to see any of her finished artwork so I wanted the opportunity.  But I was not going to push her to let me see any of her work.

I took the coffee from my dad and saw that he already added my cream.  He liked it black... I had no idea how he could handle that.  I was happy to see that Dad was in a good mood despite my efforts to keep him away from the gallery.  He did see me in my dress last night and I thought that he was going to cry or something seeing me like that.  I sat at the dining room table as he came to sit with me.  I did not tell him that I met a guy last night and that it was a date... the thing on my mind was the drawing of my dad.  The gallery wanted to pay me a pretty good amount of money to let them keep it up in their little museum type of gallery where no one else could buy it of course.  Just to promote the different artists for years to come that have passed through their gallery.  I saw the others that they had in their museum and they were gorgeous.  I could not believe that they wanted my picture.  I just was not sure if Daddy would be okay with that.  He had not even seen it.  Which would I be able to tell him first?  The picture or the boy?  I was not sure which one would be worse for him to hear.  

I sighed and shrugged. "It went really well," I answered, taking a sip of the coffee.  I was so glad to have the warmth run through me.  It was definitely going to wake me up.  I had a late night thinking about everything that had happened... my mind had been spinning when I finally fell into my bed.

I sat down across from Lyn with a plate of fruits and yogurt to dip them in.  It was what Lyn and I always loved having for breakfast.  We would have all sorts of fun with the yogurt when she was a little girl.  "Why do I sense a 'but' attached to that sentence?" I prodded, raising my eyebrows at my daughter.  I was sure that she would go into everything in due time, but sometimes I felt the need to push her along.  She liked to beat aroun the bush when it came to something she did not relish talking about.  And I sensed that this was something she did not really want to discuss.  Perhaps I should go get Aimee... she might prefer talking to her mum.

I could not help but laugh and shake my head.  My dad did know my tones quite well.  I always was a daddy's little girl and I guess it was just proving my point with how well he knew me.  I dipped a slice of banana into the yogurt and popped it into my mouth to bide myself some time.  "There are actually a couple of different things," I started out.  "The gallery offered to buy one of my paintings.  Which is so awesome.  They would keep it in their little museum of artists that have been through the expo and stuff... but it's the one that means the most to me.  I put so much into it... and it has so much emotion in it.  I just don't know if I should let them hang it for all to see," I explained.  I would have to show Dad the drawing... it was of him after all.

I smiled and was sure that she was just frightened for her work to be seen by anyone and everyone.  I put a hand on her arm.  "Honey, that is wonderful.  I think you should really consider their offer," I told her.  "Wait a second... does that mean that I finally get to see one of your drawings?" I asked her, getting excited.  I was hoping that if she got my support and praise for the picture, she would be more willing to put it into the gallery.  I do not think she cared about the money -- I know I did not.  She should be pleased that she would be getting her work out there.  I was thinking she was just frightened at the fact that her art meant so much to her and she would be so exposed.  I understood feeling insecure and vulnerable.

I smiled and nodded.  "Daddy, it's just... this drawing, it's of you," I explained.  I stood up and grabbed another bite of breakfast before heading up to my bedroom to grab the drawing.  I grabbed it and had it covered up with a sheet.  I went downstairs and saw that Dad nearly devoured the rest of the fruit and yogurt.  "Hey!  What am I supposed to eat now?" I asked, shaking my head at my dad.  "Anyways... ready to see it?" I questioned, feeling my heart pounding in my chest.  I really was afraid fo what my dad would think of me depicting him like I did.  I had never thought that it would ever become famous or whatever it was right now.  I took the sheet off of it and showed it to him.  It was an eight by ten charcoal picture of my father.  I waited for his reaction... I could not beleive how nervous I was.  And that was the one thing stopping me from being excited about the gallery wanting it.

Her picture took my breath away.  I could not believe how she depicted myself.  Why on earth would she want to draw me?  I stared at it and could not believe how amazing of a job she did.  "Honey... when did you ever see me like this?" I questioned, thinking that I never thought that I had ever looked like that.  I could not believe what she had captured.  I realized that I never wanted her to see me like that again.  The emotion in that drawing was so raw... so real... there was no doubt that it was the reason they wanted it to have it shown in a gallery.

Okay, I was taking it as a good sign that he was not freaking out about me making this picture of him.  "Daddy, that was the look that was on your face when you saw Uncle Sirius in the coma.  I snapped a picture and I went off of that so I could capture every emotion that I saw... but to be honest, I went mostly from memory.  I didn't need the picture," I told him.  I was glad that he was not freaking out on me.  "Everyone there loved it... and I just wasn't sure if I wanted to let them hang it because it is something so personal.  And the fact that it's you... I know how secretive you are... it was supposed to stay private, but you know my friends are pushy sometimes..."  I was really nervous that he was not saying a word.

I was secretive, but there was no way of hiding myself now... my brother and his family knew I was alive.  If something were to happen to me, then it will happen.  I smiled at my little girl.  "You should let them hang it in their gallery," I told her.  "But only if you want to.  I will leave the decision solely up to you."  I just could not believe that my baby girl wanted me as an inspiration to one of her drawings.  It was amazing.  I could not believe that she wanted to draw me in the first place.  I just was not sure if she wanted to show it.  It was clear that it meant quite a deal to her as it now did to me.  "I wish you could have gotten one wehre I was happy... but Lyn.  I didn't realize that I looked like this when I saw my brother in the coma... that was so hard.  I was so exposed and yet I did not care.  There would have been no way I was not there or anything for him... I just wished at that moment that I could talk to him."  I remembered that moment quite clearly... all the feelings that had rushed back to me that day.

I could not believe what I was hearing.  Of course I would love it for the gallery to permanently show my artwork!  I had just been so worried about Dad's reaction to this drawing.  I hugged my dad and smiled at him.  "Thank you!  As scary as it is to have somethign this personal out there, I really do want them to showcase it," I explained.  I could not believe it... I was going to have art hanging in a museum!  This was going to be so fantastic.  I was so lucky!

I smiled and hugged her. Making her at arm's reach so I could look at her. "Now, you said there were two things. So what's the other thing that happened?" I asked her. The look I received told me she hoped I had forgotten. I just smiled at her again. I would wait. I wanted an answer... I did not like it when my baby girl was having issues, no matter how big or small.

I felt myself get a little bit red. Why did I even have to bring that up before? I knew there was no way I was goign to keep it from Daddy now... he was horrible when it came to finding things out. He always knew how to get it out of me. I sighed. "Well, I met this guy," I said, feeling more heat in my cheeks. "He's super sweet... and we ended up going to the gala together."

I raised my eyebrows at my daughter. "Whoa now... he was allowed to go to the gala and not me? When did you grow up?" I teased, smirking at my seventeen year old. I had to give her a hard time. It was difficult for me to view her as an adult rather than my five year old little girl in tutus all the time.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, Dad, shut up," I said, laughing at him. "It's easier to show a stranger that picture than you, by the way." I shook my head. "Maybe I should talk to mum about the guy part of this. I dont' know if you want to hear what I'm going to say sine you think I'm so little still." Granted we only kissed, but Dad was overly protective of me. And I was afraid I would tell him the name of my date and freak out. We all knew what Pettigrew did. But so far, Jetty did not seem like his father and according to my cousin, he must be decent if Dean and them all got along.

I sighed and shook my head, trying to be overly dramatic. The way she said that about the boy made my fatherly instincts kick it up a notch. "No, no, sweetie, tell me everything. What happened? Did he hurt you? Did he try to force things to happen?" I asked, failing at not being overly protective.