Lyra ran with Ronald and Hermione as they searched the camp grounds for Harry, the crowd had died down a lot during the time they looked for him "We've lost the twins!" Ronald glanced around searching for his siblings but could see no red hair in the dwindling crowd.
"They'll be okay" Lyra continued searching "Harry!" she yelled out and heard an answering shout somewhere to her right, the three of them ran towards the voice and saw Harry between two burnt tents.
Lyra's pace slowed as she saw the dark mark in the sky, it was a massive skull with a serpent gliding from it's mouth like a tongue. The screams that answered the green mark in the sky were piercing "Harry, move!" Hermione reached forward grabbing the boys collar and pulled him back.
"What's the matter?" Harry grumbled as he stumbled.
"It's the dark mark Harry, you-know-who's sign" Hermione hissed once more pulling him to get away from the area but it was too late, a series of gentle popping signalled that people had apparated near them.
"Stupefy!"
"Duck!" Harry yelled and all four teens hit the floor face down as 20 or so red beams flew at them from all angles, Lyra covered her head as the air grew thick as the spells either hit one another, rebounded off something or fizzled out into nothing.
"Stop! That's my son!" A loud yell called out as a red head ran towards them, seeing Arthur Harry rolled over and sat up holding a hand out to Lyra to help her up "Ron! Harry" the mans voice shook in fear "Lyra, Hermione are you alright?"
"Which of you conjured it!" A wand was pushed into her face as Lyra got back to her feet with Harrys help and she locked eyes with Bartemius Crouch.
"Crouch, you can't possi--"
Crouch cut Arthur off from his sentence "Do not lie! You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"
"Crime?" Harry frowned as he pulled Lyra more towards him away from the wand in her face but Bartemius did not let up.
"They're just kids Barty, they'd never be able to" an elderly lady shook her head as she studied the four teens.
Two more men run towards the teens, one being a scarred werewolf and the other, her father who waltz forward and pushed himself between Lyra and the wand being held at her face "If i ever see you holding a wand to my child again, so help me Merlin" he snarled at Crouch.
"You'd what? Did you do this? Teach your daughter the spell did you? Did she cast this!" Crouch hissed but he did lowered his wand, at least slightly.
"I beg your finest pardon!" Lyra snarled just like her father, the similarities startled some of the wizards and witches around "Did you just accuse a freshly exonerated wizard of the crimes he's just been cleared of? Now that is a pity because i was brought to believe that the Minister cleared my father...Maybe i shall have another word with him"
"Where did the mark come from?" Arthur tried to calm the quickly building tension, Remus had come to stand with the children adding another body to their quickly growing human barricade.
"Over there, i heard a deep voice" Harry point to a small patch of bushes where he'd heard a deep voice, they all lifted their wands towards the bushes all apart from Crouch.
"We're too late, they'd dissaparated" the elderly witch frowned heavily.
"I don't think so" Amos Diggory stepped forward "Our stunners went right through there, there's a good chance we got them" the dark haired wizard squared his shoulders and marched towards the bushes disregarding the warning from his fellow Ministry members as he disappeared into the bushes "Yes! We got them, here! Unconscious!" Diggorys voice called out.
"You have someone?" Crouch shouted looking doubtful "Who is it?"
Diggory came back carrying something tiny in his arms, no bigger then a three year old child, it was an elf. Everyone there recalled the elf being at the game seeing as she was Crouch's elf after all and as Diggory placed the elf on the floor everyone stared at Crouch.
"This can not be...No" Crouch moved towards the bushes once more as if searching for something.
"No point Mr. Crouch, there's no one else there" Diggory called out after the man but that did not make the man stop searching "Bit embarrassing, Barty Crouch's house elf...I mean to say..."
"Come off it Amos" Arthur winced "You don't serious think it was the elf? The dark marks a wizard sign it requires a wand"
"Yeah and she had one" Amos held up a wand in his hand "Had it in her hand, so that's clause three of the code of wand use broken for a start. No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand"
Crouch walked back pale as a ghost and Lyra forced back her smirk, she was confused as to how Barty Jr could have brought back Moldy if he'd still been with his father, she had assumed he'd broken free earlier but it seemed untrue so someone else clearly helped Moldy.
Ludo Bagmen appeared and there was a whole speech before they renovated the small elf on the floor who slowly awoke. Her large brown eyes wide as she pulled herself to sit upright, she looked up at her master then up at the sky, the elf glanced around the clearing before sobbing outright.
"Elf? Do you know who i am?" Diggory asked moving forward "I am a member of the department of the regulation and control of magical creatures"
Control of magical creatures...What a dickhead statement, wizards may like to believe they are in control but in reality a lot of the magical creatures they believe they control are actually just docile and allow them to believe so. The elf on the floor began to rock back and forth and when Lyra went to walk forward her father clamped a hand on her shoulder and kept her back.
"As you see elf the dark mark was conjured here a few moments ago and you were discovered moments later right beneath it, an explanation if you please" Diggory spoke again ignoring how the Black heir moved.
"I-I-I is not doing it sir! I is not know knowing how sir!" the elf gasped as she cried.
Diggory shook the wand he still held in his hand at her "You were found with a wand in your hand"
"Hey! That's mine!" Harry yelled as he went to rush the man holding his wand.
"You lost your wand" Lyra hissed as Sirius released her to grab a hold of Harry instead.
"Excuse me? Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the mark" Diggory narrowed his eyes at Harry.
"Are you barking mad!" Lyra screeched at the man.
"Amos, think who you're talking to! Is Harry Potter likely to conjure the dark mark" Arthur demanded angrily of his work friend who flushed.
"Oh erh, of course not...Sorry, carried away" Diggory took several steps back as if to reign himself in.
"I didn't drop it there anyway" Harry jerked his head to the bushes where Winky was found.
"So...You found this wand aye elf and you picked it up and thought you'd have some fun with it did you?" Diggory instead turned back to the elf like some rent a cop desperate for a case.
"I is not doing magic with it sir" the elves crying deepened as she sobbed her tiny body jerking in terror "I is...I is just picking it up sir, i is not making the dark mark sir! I is not knowing how!"
"It wasn't her" Hermione yelled feeling awful for the elf "Winky has a squeaky voice and Harry said he heard a deep voice...It didn't sound anything like Winky did it Harry?"
Harry shook his head quickly "No, it didn't. It definitely didn't sound like Winky"
"Well, we will soon see" Diggory narrowed his eyes at the still sobbing elf, he cast the prior incantation charm on the wand and the dark mark slunk out in a mini version "So..." He glared down at Winky.
"I is not doing it!" Winky squealed "I is not! I is not! I is not knowing how, i is a good elf, i isn't using wands, i isn't knowing how"
"You've been caught red handed" Diggory yelled "Caught with the guilty wand in your hand!"
"Amos! Think about it, precious few wizards know how to cast that spell, where would she have learnt it" Arthur frown at the elf who was trembling.
"Perhaps Amos is suggesting that i routinely teach my servants to conjure the dark mark" Crouch rasped letting an uncomfortable silence spread through the clearing.
Diggorys face dropped as he realised the accusations he was throwing about in his haste "Mr. Crouch, not at all!"
"You have now come very close to accusing the two people in this clearing that are least likely to conjure that mark" Crouch barked "Harry Potter and myself, i suppose you are familiar with the boys story Amos?"
Lyra sneered at the fact he left out the fact that he himself had accused her but Amos nodded "Of course, everyone knows"
"And i trust you remember the many proofs i have given over a long career that i despise the dark arts and those who practice them"
Yeah but it still wasn't enough to break your marked son out of Azkaban was it...Lyra wanted to snarl but refrained, the two men went back on forth between how the elf could have casted it but Bartemius knew who casted it he just didn't want to be found out.
Crouch clearing his throat brought her back to the present as she still glared at him "Amos, i am well aware that in the ordinary coarse of events you would want to take Winky into your department for questioning, i ask you however to allow me to deal with her?" Diggory looked like he'd rather swallow his own tongue then agree but agree he did "You may rest assured that she will be punished"
"Master?" Winky's bottom lip trembled "M-Master...P-P-Please"
"Winky has behaved in a way tonight i would not have believed possible" Crouch was stone cold "I told her to stay in the tent, i told her to stay there while i went to sort out the trouble and i find that she disobeyed me, this means clothes"
"NO!" Winky screeched "No master! Not clothes! Not clothes"
"Bastard" Lyra shook her head having to turn away from the elf whos magical bond was in the process of being forcefully ripped from her wizard.
"But she was frightened!" Hermione yelled once again her own eyes watery for the elf even if she was yet to understand elvish magic "Your elf is scared of heights and those wizards in masks were levitating people, you can't blame her for wanting to get out of their way!"
"I have no use for a house elf who disobeys me" he stared at Winky with a cold, sharp look on his face "I have no use for a servant who forgets what is due to her master and to her masters reputation"
"I'm sure you'd do just fine with your reputation on your own, right?" Lyra's head snapped back to the man as she locked eyes with him "If you had said in plain words 'stay in the tent' she would not have been able to leave, i wonder how she managed to do so...Almost like she was forced"
Crouch's face paled "What do you mean girl?"
"Oh nothing, just simply suggesting that maybe Winky wasn't responsible" she cocked a brow.
"Do you know something Lyra?" Arthur stepped forward with a large frown.
Before Lyra could utter a word Crouch scoffed loudly "I must not have been very clear, you are but a girl you have little knowledge of how elfish magic works" Crouch waved her off "Now if you don't mind this is a crime scene" he motioned for Arthur to remove the teens as Winky continued to sob.
"What an awful man" she hissed and Hermione agreed quickly.
"Not so loud Pup" Remus scolded her softly and she sighed but fell silent, she felt awful for the tiny elf but she knew Winky would end up in Hogwarts, maybe she could help her become happy there.
~~~
Sirius was a state the morning they were going back to Hogwarts, he'd stayed up late the night before and had routinely checked on the two teens, not that they were meant to know that but Lyra was a very light sleeper. He'd put a brave face on so he didn't cry but it was clear to see "My nest is going to be empty much sooner then i had hoped" he muttered into his coffee.
"Dad, we're only going to Hogwarts we'll be back" she smiled "Plus i have a feeling we'll be seeing you through out the year" she winked at him when his head snapped up at her but she just smirked.
So at the station he had hugged both of them tightly as if it would make the train stop and give him more time, but the train came on time as always and he waved to them as it left the station leaving him watching it until it was no longer visible to the eye.
"Anything from the trolley?" the cart lady was yelling out but she stopped at their door as it was open "Anything from the trolley dears?"
"Packet of Drooble's and a liquorice wand" Ron asked politely as he stood she handed him the Droobles but he paused counting the galleons in his hand "On second thoughts, just the Drooble's"
"It's alright, i'll get it" Harry offered but Ron tensed repeating he just wanted the Drooble's gum, He passed Lyra to go re-take his seat as she and Harry kept looking over the cart.
"Two pumpkin pasties, please" a soft voice drew their attention from the sweets, Cho Chang, Ravenclaw's seeker the girl was in the year above them. Lyra looked at Harry and sure enough he looked star struck, her chest tightened and she huffed gently turning away from the two quidditch seekers.
"Can i have a two sugar quills, one orange flavour, one red cherry, a liquorice wand and a chocolate frog please" Lyra grabbed the sweets from the old lady and handed over the coins before she went right to her seat not looking at Harry again. In her seat she opened the liquorice wand, snapping a small bit off she threw it in her mouth and chewed before throwing the rest at Ron as she gagged dramatically "Yuck, argh you have it" Ron shook his head and smirked at her reaction before happily taking a bite himself.
"You don't mind liquorice" Hermione whispered taking the orange flavoured quill Lyra offered to her with a smile.
"Well yeah but it's all about pride, i wanted to get it for him but pride would make him say no" she whispered back and Hermione grinned at how kind Lyra could be, scheming? Sure, Slytherin-ish? Absolutely, but there was kindness in her ways.
Harry sat down next to Lyra and she absolutely refused to look his way, she occulmented whatever green eyed monster overtook her back "This is horrible" Hermione frowned as she read the paper in her hand "How can the ministry not know who conjured it? Wasn't there any security or...?"
"Loads, according to dad" Ron spoke around the liquorice in his mouth "That's what worried them so much, happened right under their noses"
"It's hurting again, isn't it? Your scar?" Hermione asked and Lyra looked at Harry who was itching the scar on his forehead.
"I'm fine"
"You know Sirius will want to hear about this...The dreams" Hermione leant forward but the boy shook his head.
"No i don't want to worry him"
Lyra frowned as she opened the chocolate frog "Harry, you really should tell him" she caught the chocolate as it jumped out of the box and she waited for the spell to finish, she couldn't justify eating it while the charm was still on going.
"Fine" Harry sighed taking the card from the box "Dumbledore"
"Oh, just bin it" Lyra grimaced as she ate the now still chocolate.
~~~
As they ran into the school out of the pouring rain Ron shook his hair like a wet dog sending water droplets everywhere, but it didn't matter because moment's later a large red water balloon hit him square on the skull. It burst hitting others around him, Lyra screeched seeing a red balloon coming for her face but she ducked causing it to hit Seamus "Peeves!" she yelled as the poltergeist cackled. "I swear i'll get the Bloody Baron!" she yelled ducking to avoid another balloon, Seamus who was still stood behind her ducked with her this time and it flew towards a small group of third years.
McGonagall rushed over and started scolding the poltergeist, who just blew a raspberry and threw the remaining balloons before zooming off "Bloody thing" Lyra hissed as she linked arms with Hermione as the two tried not to slip on the wet stone.
The hall was warm as usual and if she looked up she'd see the night sky and the rain, they took their seat at the Gryffindor table "I hope they hurry up with the sorting, i'm starving" Ron whined staring at the head table.
"Sure you are" Lyra rolled her eyes.
There was small talk but the main doors opened and the new first years walked in, a tiny boy wearing Hagrid's coat lead the pack of first years behind McGonagall looking positively ecstatic. The boy found third year Colin Creevy and stuck two thumbs up mouthing 'I fell into the lake' at the blonde boy and Lyra's heart sunk slightly realising this was Dennis Creevy.
The sorting hat started it's song and the sorting was underway, the twins hissed at the first Slytherin to be sorted but Lyra threw them a nasty glare and the two slunk into their seats until she turned away. Dennis Creevy was called and they all watched "Gryffindor!" the hat yelled and the tiny boy ran to their table while Lyra and the others cheered loudly for their first Gryffindor first year.
After a while the sorting was finished and Dumbledore stood with a wide smile "I have only two words to say to you, tuck in"
"Here, here" Ron agreed nodding as he looked expectantly at the table just waiting to pounce. The moment the food arrived people attacked like vicious beasts, while some ate with manners.
"You're lucky there is a feast at all you know" Lyra turned to see Nearly Headless Nick floating behind her.
"Why?" Harry frowned.
"There was trouble in the kitchens earlier"
Hermione took a sip of her juice "What trouble?"
"Peeves" Nick sighed and Lyra went back to her food but she startled when Hermione spilt her juice with a loud gasp and Lyra looked up to see what she had missed.
"There are house elves here!" Hermione looked horrified "Here are Hogwarts?"
"Certainly, the largest number in any dwelling i believe, over a hundred" Nick nodded making his head wobbly slightly.
"I've never seen one" Hermione hissed.
But the ghost shrugged "Well they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, they come out at night to do a bit of cleaning, see to the fires and so on...I mean you're not supposed to see them are you, that's the mark of a good house elf isn't it? That you don't know it's there"
"Thank you Nick, it's been very good to see you" Lyra smiled and the ghost grinned before floating up the table to talk to other Gryffindor's, she turned back to Hermione "Whatever you're thinking put it on pause, we will talk about all of this later" Hermione put down her cutlery but Lyra shook her head "Don't you dare, Mi we will talk about it later i swear, i will explain everything to you but you will eat do you understand me?"
The Granger girl hesitated not wanting to give in but the warning look on Lyra's face was enough for her to slowly pick her utensils back up. Dumbledore went about his usual speech about the forest, and the rules but that was not all "It is my duty to inform you that the interhouse quidditch cup will not take place this year"
"WHAT!" multiple people demanded, mainly the players but Dumbledore continued.
"This is due to an event that will taking place in October and continuing throughout the school year taking up much of the teacher time and energy but i am sure you will all enjoy it immensely! I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts..."
The main doors opened once more with a loud thud and Mad eye Moody walked in...Or that's what everyone thought, once the new DADA teacher took his seat Dumbledore started back up once more "May i introduce the new Defence against the dark arts teacher, Professor Moody"
The silence that followed after was awkward as all of them took in the rough looking character "What happened to him" Hermione whispered in shock.
"Don't know" Ron answered.
"He's an auror, no one knows how he lost his eye but it sees everything even through invisibility cloaks" Lyra warned the three of them who gaped at the man once more "Half the cells in Azkaban are filled because of him and his team, but i think he's retired now"
Dumbledore cleared his throat "We are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century! It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year"
"You're joking" Fred yelled out in awe and nearly the whole hall laughed as the mood lightened once more.
"I am not joking Mr Weasley...Thought now that you mention it i did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag and a leprechaun who all go into a bar" Dumbledore grinned but stopped talking when McGonagall tutted harshly in warning.
"But maybe that is for another time, where was i? Yes the Tournament, now for those of you who do not know, the Triwizard Tournament brings together three schools for a series of magical contests, from each school a single student is selected to compete. Now let me be clear, if chosen you stand alone and trust me when i say these contests will not be for the faint hearted..."
Hogwarts was never quiet that's for sure.
~~~
Hermione's 15th birthday came and the girl had blushed when a quite large pile of presents sat in front of her after the owl post. She shrunk most of them to open later in the comfort of the common room but Lyra saw a few were from her father which made her happy at how quickly he'd taken to the girl.
But after the birthday, September flew by followed by October, it wasn't until Hermione presented her with a box filled with pins, they were different colours but all read the same thing S.P.E.W that she remembered the talk she was meant to have.
"S.P.E.W?" she picked a blue badge out of the box.
"Yes, Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare! I'm thinking we sell the badges for two sickles which will pay for our leaflet campaign"
Lyra looked the badge over before glancing up at her friend who was clearly passionate about this all, she sighed "Alright, if this is what you want then we will do it but first we need to have a long conversation"
"About?"
"Elves" Lyra took Hermione's hand and pulled her towards their room, when they sat on Lyra's bed both Onyx and Crooks were cuddled up by the small furnace that gave them heat "Okay, tell me what you know about Elves so far?"
"Well i know that they are kept as slaves! They work all day with no pay, no pension, no holiday. They don't even have control of themselves...It's not right"
Lyra nodded "They do not but what do you know of elvish magic?"
Hermione frowned "Well not a lot but what does that have to do with anything?"
"Elf magic is strong, they can do things we couldn't even begin to imagine but elves magical cores are not as strong as ours. So a very long time ago the elf community and wizard community agreed to allow the elves to bond with our magic to keep their magic cores strong, in return the elf would help and protect the wizard or witch they bonded with" Hermione had locked on to what she was saying, Lyra saw she had Hermione's undivided attention.
"I do agree that along the way the bond between wizard and elf has changed but in a lot of cases the elf is still the protector and friend, Elves don't have pensions because they work throughout their life" Lyra held her hand up when Hermione went to argue "Listen please, What i told you of their cores is important. Without a bonded core to fuel their own, they grow weak. They age quicker meaning they die quicker but the stronger the bond with their wizard or witch the stronger their cores are and the longer they live. They also choose if they wish to breed or not but if they do they make sure their offspring is bonded with their witch or wizard"
"Elves most of the time chose when they're ready to pass, they sever the link between their bonded and they pass peacefully and as for sick days if they are bonded they do not get sick, their magic don't allow it"
"That's why Winky was so upset! He's practically signed her death!" Hermione gasped and she flew to her feet to pace.
"A forceful bond sever is barbaric, it is not done by respectable wizards or witches. An elf is a big part of being a witch and most of the time they are treated as friends even family but i do agree they should have more laws to protect them and i do agree that they should be paid, if not in money then something they want"
"Do you...Do you have an elf?" Hermione frowned taking her seat back on the bed.
"I do, would you like to meet him? I'm sure he'd answer any questions you have" Lyra asked and Hermione hesitated before nodding "Kreacher"
A gentle pop sounded making Hermione startle, she gaped at the elf in front of her "Mistress Lyra calls Kreacher, are you well?" Lyra's elf moved forward and Lyra took his hand with a smile.
"Yes Kreacher, i have missed you already" she grinned and Kreacher nodded his head.
"Kreacher has been waiting, hoping you'd call, Kreacher doesn't like Grimmauld Place and your father is...Just as Kreacher remembers"
Lyra laughed gently "I believe Dobby works here now so if you really want to stay here you are welcome to. Now Kreacher i wanted you to meet my very good friend Hermione Granger, i was telling her about elf magic and the bond between witch and elf. Would you mind answering her questions?"
Her elf looked at Hermione "Pleasure" he bowed his head slightly but by the look he shot Lyra he wasn't too sure, he could sense the girls blood status and while he knew of his mistress' standing on the whole thing, centuries worth of training still kept him on edge but he tried and he defiantly did not speak the word associated with them knowing it would displease Lyra completely.
"It's very nice to meet you Kreacher" Hermione greeted him "I must say your name is unique"
"Kreacher chooses it himself a very long time ago" the elf tipped his chin in the air.
"Very nice" Hermione's smile was tight "Do you like being bonded with Lyra?"
Kreacher frowned "Of course Kreacher does, what kind of question is that!"
"Oh! I apologise i didn't mean to offend i was simply asking" Hermione looked panicked and looked to Lyra for help.
"Hermione witnessed a forced severing when we went to the quidditch game Kreacher" the statement made Kreacher wince and his angry stance softened "She wishes to help build a base to try getting some laws in place to stop things like that"
"Well severing is not good" Kreacher muttered.
"She was wondering if elves would like to be freed but i explained the bonds purpose"
The elf nodded his head "Yes, elves would not want to be freed, even in the worse bonding we get something out of it"
"What about payment, would you accept money?"
"What would i do with money girly" Kreacher scowled at Hermione who leant back slightly "Kreacher has a home, he is fed, he is clothed, Elves do not need many things like witches and wizards do"
"Some elves would take payment, Dobby is a good example of that but the ones who don't need money i'm sure would take payment in other ways like, clothing agreed upon on both parts that it's not a severing, books, that kind of thing" Lyra offered her friend who looked despondent.
Kreacher grumbled "Kreacher would accept more Shakespeare books or maybe some ribbons of his own but Kreacher is very happy with his bonding"
"How old are you Kreacher?" Hermione asked with a soft smile trying to show she was a friend not foe.
"Kreacher is 623 years old"
Hermione gaped at Lyra who shrugged, the Black family had magic to spare for Elves she guessed "And do you have children?" the question startled Lyra who coughed.
"That is..." Kreacher turns to Lyra "Must mistress Lyra make such uncouth friends?"
She giggled "Kreacher, she doesn't mean it but no Hermione, i do not think he does"
"No, Kreacher do not have any offspring, yet"
"Yet? Kreacher i thought...I thought you no longer could?" Lyra frowned looking at her elf.
Kreacher shook his head "Kreacher couldn't, his bond wasn't strong enough and his core was weakening but the bond with Mistress Lyra is the strongest he's had in centuries and he knows his core is strong enough for offspring"
Lyra took his hand once more "Is that...Is that something you want?"
"Kreacher had thought about it but Mistress is young and Kreacher can not risk bonding too many to her magic"
"Oh no Kreacher, no, i can do it. If you want a child i'm strong enough to bond"
"Of course Mistress Lyra is" he patted her hand "But Mistress Lyra has many things to focus on and Kreacher is fine for now, maybe after she finishes with..." his eyes dart to Hermione but she knew he was talking about the locket "After that, Kreacher and his Mistress Lyra speak again about Kreacher's offspring?"
"Of course Kreacher" she smiled feeling slightly uncomfortable with the conversation.
Kreacher looked back at Hermione "Was that all Miss Grangers questions?"
"How would you feel about Holidays?" Hermione asked as she started making notes on some parchment.
"Holidays? Why would Kreacher need holidays, he is looking for things to do right now. With Mistress Lyra away he has nothing to do, Holidays would be pointless and a waste of Kreacher's time but Kreacher is sure if he asked Mistress Lyra would permit him"
"Of course" Lyra nodded.
"Would you like a badge Kreacher, to be a member of S.P.E.W?" Hermione held out the box of badges.
"S.P.E.W?" The elf looked at Lyra of confirmation.
"Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare" Lyra took a dark green badge and changed the yellow letters to a silver colour "Here Kreacher" her elf took the badge and ran his fingers over the glossy finish before he pinned it to his silk shirt, Lyra had long gotten him out of pillowcases instead the elf wore black trousers and shirts of any colour he liked.
"Congratulations, you are our first member" Hermione beamed seeing the elf wearing the pin, Lyra threw four sickles in the pouch which laid in the box, two for her pin, two for Kreacher's pin.
Kreacher hummed "Kreacher is going to try finding Dobby, see if Dobby is keeping up with Kreacher's training" with that he popped out of the room, Lyra knew he'd actually bonded quite well with Dobby but if asked he'd refuse.
"He's...Interesting, quite intimidating for a small thing" Hermione muttered as if he could still hear them.
Lyra giggled "He was my very first friend, you get used to him" she turned back to her friend who was looking over her notes "Do you understand a bit better about elves?"
"I think so, i was going to make hats and scarfs for the elves here to free them" the girl blushed violently "But now i think that would be a bad idea"
"It wouldn't be taken in the best light by them no, but i will help you put together a base for better rights for them, wages, no forced severing"
"Thank you" Hermione moved to hug Lyra who chuckled and hugged her back.
"Of course, just remember this when you become the next Minister of Magic"
~~~
When October 30th came a lot of students were stood out in the courtyard waiting for the other schools to arrive. Lyra beamed seeing a large gathering abraxans approaching as they lead a white carriage, the carriage landed from a distance they all saw several students climbing from the carriage all dressed in pale blue silk clothes. Before anything else could be said or done about them someone yelled and pointed out towards the black lake making everyone run over to the other side of the courtyard to see.
It was a huge pirate like ship, the sails holding the Durmstrang sigil proudly "Well there's something you don't see everyday" George grinned down at her as they watched the ship rise fully out of the water.
Dinner was called and they all arrived at the hall after leaving their bags and books as ordered, the tables had been enlarged as had the head table "Well, now we're all settled in and sorted...I'd like to make an announcement, this castle will not only be your home this year but home to some very special guests as well. Now please join me in welcoming the students of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their headmistress Madame Maxime"
The great hall doors opened, Students...He said students not ladies! Lyra's head snapped round and she saw a group of girls all late teens walking in, their posture was perfect, clothes pressed and luxurious but also terribly thin seeing as it was silk.
Each girls hair was in the exact same low pony to allow their hat to sit perfectly on their head regardless of length or texture of their hair. As they walked in they paused about a third way down sighing gently they slowly waved their right arm and blue butterflies fluttered from their hands. But Lyra wasn't focusing on that, for just beyond them in the same formation stood a group of late teen boys, each dressed similar to the girls but they wore light grey pants. However, their shirts were the same blue silk as the girls as were their light overcoats.
The main difference was none of them wore the blue hats the girls did, but each of them had similar hair styles, there was a difference in texture and length but no boy had hair longer then their cheekbones.
Lyra gasped softly, this was nothing like the films, the films lead them to believe Beauxbatons was an all girls school but then again Lyra knew different so it wasn't all that surprising they were there. The French men did not sigh at the crowd but they did charm flowers and hand them out occasionally to girls in the crowd.
The girls passed her and her friends sighing and releasing butterflies as they went, a blue butterfly landed awkwardly on Harry's nose making him sneeze and her chuckle. Ron gaped like most of the boys in the hall and Hermione snickered across from them on the other side of the table, Lyra and Harry had sat on the side that backed onto the walkway down the centre of the hall unfortunately.
Her soft laughter at Harry stopped when shiny black shoes stopped in front of her, Lyra's eyes trailed up the figure who was quite obviously a male and when her silver eyes locked with crystal blues she blushed lightly. The boy in front of her was...Well he was beautiful, he smiled at her with a charming bright white smile, his eyes sparkled as he held out a blue flower. His hair was an ink black much like Harry's but it was tamed in neat waves "Mademoiselle" he tilted his head in greeting, his deep voice rattled her bones and made her blush intensify.
"Monsieur" she greeted him softly as she took the offered flower and his smile widened before the boy to his left nudged his arm and he was signalled to walk on.
Lyra watched him leave noticing he glanced back once "What was that?" Harry hissed in her ear but before she could answer, Seamus who was on her other side tapped her arm and nodded back to the entrance
"Blimey, that's one big woman" She glanced back at his words and saw the headmaster of Beauxbatons
"Olympe Maxime, she's their head" Lyra watched as the tall woman walked passed "She's half giant, like Hagrid but she tells people she's just big boned" They watched as Dumbledore kissed the large womans hand and she took a seat at the head table while her students moved to sit at the Ravenclaws clearly finding comfort in the sea of blue.
However this meant they were on the table on the other side of the centre walkway, the Beauxbatons did not sit with their backs to the walkway though instead they all sat facing the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. "Those are some mighty big bones then" Seamus snickered at her words and Lyra hummed spinning the pretty flower between her two fingers before she caved and tucked it behind her ear.
"And now our friends from the North, please greet the proud students of Durmstrang and their high master Igor Karkaroff" Dumbledore called over the applause and the main doors flew open once more with a resounding boom.
Once more the girls walked out first, from what she could see there was absolutely no difference in the uniform. They all wore dark brown almost black trousers matched with a red over jacket, hanging from their left shoulder was a heavy fur lined cape that was fixed to them with a leather strap.
There may not have been a difference in uniform but the girls strutted forward with their hands behind their backs while the men who stood a few paces behind walked with wooden canes. Repetitively banging them on the ground while grunting in a show of alpha male dominance, which from Lyra's eye made some of the Beauxbaton males as well as the Hogwarts boys bristle slightly.
A figure who was walking further back with the head master caught their eye "Bloody hell, it's him. Viktor Krum!" Ronald gushed watching him intently as he walked by, not once did Viktor look anyway but forward. Lyra looked at Hermione and shot the girl a cheeky wink earning her a frown but when Hermione looked pointedly at the blue flower in her hair Lyra shut up quickly and turned back to the front.
One of the Durmstrang men had just blew fire that was charmed to look like type of bird Lyra wasn't too sure which as Igor greeted Dumbledore, the Durmstrang students sitting at the Slytherin probably to their heads orders. Dinner was much louder then normal in response to the two schools attendees, Hermione nodded and rolled her eyes when one of the French girls complained once more about the cold "Maybe they should have brought coats"
"Glad they didn't" Ron muttered as he kept staring.
"What an odd thing to say Ronald Weasley" Lyra glared but he just shrugged and went about eating like he hadn't eaten in months.
"That boy toy is staring at you" The red head glanced over her shoulder and Harry spun round while Lyra shrugged and continued to eat her dinner.
Harry turned back after catching eyes with the Beauxbatons boy who was in fact staring at the back of Lyra's head "Do you know him?"
"Not at all"
Hermione grinned "But you want to"
"Well i never" Lyra gasped gently before laughing "He's not awful to look at" Hermione joined in with her laughter but Harry was not impressed and Ronald was too busy trying not to choke to care.
"Your attention please!" Dumbledore called when dinner was wrapping to a close "I'd like to say a few words...Eternal glory, that is what awaits the student who wins the Triwizard Tournament but to do this, that student must survive three tasks. Three extremely dangerous tasks"
"Wicked" the twins muttered but she had heard them as they were only a seat or two away.
"For this reason the ministry has seen fit to impose a new rule, to explain all this we have the head of the department of international magical cooperation Mr Bartemius Crouch"
A bright flash of lightening lit the sky and Lyra looked up at natures own made light show "After due consideration, the ministry has concluded that for their own safety, no student under the age of 17 shall be allowed to put forth their name for the Triwizard Tournament" Crouch's annoying voice drew her attention back to the head table and she rolled her eyes.
"My, that's good of them" she snarked as yells of anger and disbelief filled the hall, most from Hogwarts students seeing as the vast majority of the other schools were within age.
"This decision is final"
"That's rubbish!" Fred yelled as loud as he could while George boo'd.
"Silence!" Dumbledore yelled over the noise with the help of a spell before he uncovered the Goblet of Fire, a stunning blue flame erupted unprovoked.
"The Goblet of Fire, anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it into the flame before this hour on Thursday night...Do not do so lightly, if chosen there's no turning back, as from this moment the Triwizard Tournament has begun, come Halloween night we will have our three Champions."
~~~
The timeline was a bit jumbled right now reminding her of her first year as she sat in DADA, now while she knew Barty Crouch Jr was playing Moody and she hated to admit it...But he was doing a good job of it and he was one of the better Defence teachers they had, had so far.
"When it comes to the dark arts, i believe in a more practical approach" Moody, AKA Barty Jr turned to the students and Lyra had to physically bite her tongue to stop a sassy comment slipping "But first which of you can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses there are?"
Not a soul raised their hand so Hermione drew in a breath "Three, sir"
"And they are so named?"
"Because they are unforgivable. The use of any one of them will--"
"Will earn you a one way ticket to Azkaban, correct" Moody, AKA Barty Jr nodded as he wrote on the board "Now, the ministry says you are too young to see what these curses do, i say different! You need to know what you are up against! You need to be prepared! You need to find some other place to put your chewing gum Mr Finnigan!" Lyra grimaced when she saw the boy froze with a look that reminded her of a child being caught with their hands in the cookie jar as he was sticking his gum under his desk.
"So, which curse shall we see first? Weasley!"
"Yes?" Ron whimpered looking up at the formidable teacher.
"Stand" Ronald slowly crept to his feet "Give us a curse"
"Well, my dad did tell me about one. The Imperius curse"
"Yes, your father would know all about that, gave the ministry a lot of grief a few years back" Moody nodded "Perhaps this will show you why" he walked back and cursed a big spider that he had engorgio'd to make it bigger then his palm "Imperio"
He flung it around the room a few times, first on Dean and Neville's desk making both boys lean away from it, then he made it land on Crabbes face and he whimpered "Don't worry, it's completely harmless" Moody sang as the others in the class room laughed.
Moody flung it onto Pavarti's hand letting it climb up her arm making her hyperventilate while Lavender tried, not very hard, to shoo the thing off without having to get too close to it.
The spider moved once more to hover above Ron who whimpered and looked close to tears "If she bites, she's deadly" Moody taunted as he laughed "What are you laughing at!" he narrowed his eyes at Draco who was snickering and flung the spider onto his face. The boy rightfully freaked out but everyone else just laughed along with Moody "Talented, isn't she? What should i have her do next? Jump out the window?" he levitated the spider to the window before letting it slowly lower towards a cauldron filled which who knows what "Drown herself?"
The room quickly became silent at the insinuation of what the spell was for came to light, he brought the spider back to his hand and looked around but unexpectedly his eyes landed on her. "Scores of witches and wizards have claimed that they only did you-know-who's bidding under the influence of the Imperius Curse but here's the rub: How do we sort out the liars? Any questions" Moody asked as the spider in his hand settled down.
Lyra raised her hand "Yes Miss Black"
"Is it true sir, that one can fight off the imperious curse?"
"Yes, it is, but it is a difficult feat. Only the strongest of willpowers will fight it off" he nodded falling silent as he studied her closely "Stand up"
Lyra frowned but stood "Give me another curse Miss Black"
She fell silent as her eyes flickered around the room, she knew which curse was meant to go next but it was not for her to say it? She frowned but answered quietly "The Cruciatus Curse sir"
"Yes, well done. I know why you'd know that one" he nodded and she glared at him, what the hell was he insinuating "Your grandmother was rumoured to be very good at that one aye?"
Her lip twitched as she fought off a sneer but she did not reply which made whispers float around the room like the wind, Moody tilted his head as he studied her taking her silence as it's own answer "Did you ever experience said curse by her hand?" Lyra no longer held back her sneer as she stared back at him head on but refused to answer the question but Moody hummed as if that again was answer enough "Sorrows Miss Black" his tone held no level of apologies "You may sit now"
The moment she sat Hermione latched onto her hand tightly, not even having to look at her best friend Lyra knew Hermione had tears in her eyes that had yet to fall. Hermione knew what the curse did, knew the implication of the curse but she hadn't known Lyra was subjected to it.
"The torture curse, Crucio!" he yelled and a flash of yellow shot from his wand tip hitting the spider he had set down on his desk table, the flash registered in a few peoples minds. Her friends recognised it from their lesson with the boggart and Lyra had frozen solid in her chair.
The spider screeched and spasmed in it's spot, it's wails the students didn't even know spiders could make doubled and grew louder the longer it was held under the curse. But two students paled, one shook while the other was frozen in fright eyes wide and pinned on the writhing insect.
Hermione hissed when Lyra's groomed nails pierced her hand, small half moon imprints cut into her skin as Lyra fell into one of her biggest fears, she also saw Neville shaking in his seat cringing back visibly.
"Stop it! Can't you see it's bothering them? Stop it!" Hermione yelled at the teacher who was not only torturing the insect but also two students, one who'd suffered the spell herself and the other who's parents had gone insane under it.
Almost like coming out of a trance Moody looked up and saw all the looks of horror making him lift the curse, without a word he picked up the quivering spider and placed it down in front of Hermione and in essence Lyra "Perhaps you could give us the last curse Miss Granger?"
Hermione shook her head as a tear dropped from her bottom lashes down her cheek in response to her friends fear, the nails that had once been imbedding into her skin had retracted but Lyra's hand still held her tightly. "No?" he hummed before taking a step backwards "Avada Kedavra!" he called and a bolt of green light flew hitting the spider on the girls table killing it instantly.
"Evanesco" Lyra whispered numbly not even fully aware she had done so before she looked upwards to stare blankly at the front of the classroom.
"Thank you Miss Black" everyone saw the spider disappear from the table "That's a fancy piece of spell work, fifth year O.W.L spell if i'm correct?" The girl ignored him and everyone else as a few people waited for her to talk but he hummed "Killing curse, there's no counter curse, no blocking it, only one known person is known to have survived it and he's sitting in this room" the room moved from looking at Hermione and Lyra to now staring at Harry.
"Well today we are going to do an experiment. We're going to see if any of you are strong enough to fight off the imperious curse, simple things like i will make you jump up and down nothing crazy" Moody continued as if nothing he'd just done had happened "Who wants to go first?" he asked but no one answered.
"But...But you said it's illegal, Professor" Hermione frowned uncertainly as Moody cleared away the desks with a sweep of his wand, leaving a large clear space in the middle of the room as they all stood from their seats as instructed "You said, to use it against another human was..."
"Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like" Moody waved her off, his magical eye swivelling onto Hermione and fixing her with an eerie, unblinking stare that made her shiver unpleasantly "If you'd rather learn the hard way, when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely fine by me. You're excused, off you go" but no one moved.
A few people went on to do silly things like dancing as a chicken, jumping up and down like a frog, singing, Lavender even imitated a squirrel but no one so far beat the curse. Draco went and he also didn't beat it, Moody made him spin like a ballerina arms above his head and all.
"Potter" Moody called roughly and Harry walked forward just as the others had but after a few moments Harry tenses but didn't do anything stupid at all meaning he beat it "Look at that everyone Potter fought it! They'll have a hard time controlling you" he smirked at the boy.
"Weasley" Ron frowned but stumbled forward, however he didn't beat it either, instead he jumped onto the table and croaked like a frog much to his horror when he was released from the spell.
"Granger" Hermione went next and she managed to hold off of a few moment but was soon made to jump up and down while rubbing her stomach and head not being able to fight the spell but she tried "Well done Miss Granger, i could feel you fighting it, close but not close enough"
Moody turned to Lyra "Black, your turn" she walked forward into the middle of the cleared space and waited, he levelled his wand at her placing her under the Imperious curse within seconds.
It felt like she was floating, like all of her troubles fell away, all her fear melting off like wax forming into nothing but relaxation "Spin like a ballerina" Lyra heard a voice whisper in the back part of her mind.
But she didn't want too, she didn't recognise that voice "No" she frowned and debated if she wanted to leave this new safe haven or if she wanted to stay.
"Do it" The voice sounded once more this time it wasn't soft it was commanding, as if trying to force it's will on her.
"No!"
"Now!" the voice echoed through the clearing of space and it no longer felt safe, she slammed her walls up, someone was in her head? How had they gotten through her walls? She frowned and tracked where the voice was coming from, she found it quite quickly.
It was dark but the shadow of it hid behind a fake shimmer, like it was trying to hide itself, Lyra glared and found the closest blank door of her walls "I said NO!" with that she shoved it through the door managing to push it behind her occlumency walls before it could do anymore damage or searching.
The floating feeling fell from her abruptly like she was falling but she opened her eyes and saw Moody smirking at her "Very good Miss Black, never has someone broke my curse forcefully before...But very well done"
Lyra glared at the man in front of her but nodded and moved back towards the group at least now she knew what to do if someone tried to Imperio her, how it would feel as such. That didn't mean she liked having him there but beggars can't be choosers.