Harry awoke from a nightmare but it seemed more then that so he went straight to his head of house who called upon Dumbledore, he had felt something pressing against his shields last night, he'd registered it even as he slept but before he had a chance to wake something pulled him under and whoever it was broke through his minds shields.
"Look at me!" he yelled at Dumbledore who continued to ignore him, the headmaster turned to look at him in shock "What's happening to me?"
"You wished to see me?" they all turned to see Snape walk through the doorway as he studied everyone in the room, it was all the Weasley children, McGonagall, Dumbledore and himself.
"Severus, i'm afraid we can't wait. Not even until morning otherwise we will all be vulnerable" Dumbledore stated and without another word Harry had been dismissed and Snape pulled him by his wrist.
Once in his potions lab Snape faced him "It appears there's a connection between the Dark Lords mind and your own. Whether he is yet aware of this connection is for the moment, unclear...Pray he remains ignorant"
"You mean if he knows about it then...He'll be able to read my mind?"
"Read it, control it, unhinge it...In the past it was often the Dark Lords pleasure to invade the minds of his victims creating visions designed to torture them into madness, only after extracting the last exquisite ounce of agony, only when he had them literally begging for death did he finally kill them" Snape stood over him and Harry shook "Used properly, the power of Occlumency will help to shield you for access or influence"
"Occlumency? But..." Harry shut his mouth with a loud click.
Snape cocked a brow but moved on "In these lessons i will attempt to penetrate your mind, you will attempt to resist, prepare yourself...Legilimens" Snape entered his mind, Harry's barriers snapped but then Snape found himself on the Hogwarts Express and around him was filled with trunks he pulled away instantly "Who has been teaching you boy!"
"No-No one"
"Do. Not. Lie to me!" he had an idea on who it was.
Harry refused to answer so Snape entered his mind once more, once inside he started rooting around, when he shoved a trunk to the side he heard a slight sound of wood squeaking against wood. He looked down and frowned, these seats were not false bottoms...He ripped the seat up and immediately found memories of Lyra Black, he pulled them forward until he found her teaching him. Snape snarled when he found memories of the girls own mind shields, Potter had a step by step guide of how to infiltrate her mind which even Snape himself couldn't do so, he would know, he was the one who taught her so.
He couldn't risk it, everything rested on her mind being impenetrable, Snape gathered these memories only the ones of Harry being in her mind and forced them into a box where he created his own tiny false bottom in the floor by the window, he stuffed the box in side and then when he pulled away from the boy he spelled him to forget about it.
He just hoped it was enough.
~~~
Once Christmas break had come they all found themselves back at Grimmauld Place, even the Weasleys were there, although the Weasleys and Hermione had come the second week into the holiday. Lyra was shocked to see Fleur stood awkwardly to the side as the Weasleys walked into the house, she knew Fleur and Bill had started to date of course, Ron wouldn't stop talking about it but she wasn't expecting to see her there.
The tension was palpable, both Molly and Ginny were refusing to speak to her and the boys apart from Bill were being civil but were staying out of the drama. The blonde girl looked uncomfortable but seemed to be trying for Bill's sake and that didn't lighten up when Hermione ran to greet Ginny passing her without a second glance.
"Fleur!" Lyra called loudly widening her grin to hit almost ear to ear, the room quietened slightly as if taking in the act, the blonde startled but upon seeing Lyra and the fact she was the first Lyra greeted she giggled.
"Lyra" the blonde Veela grabbed her forearms and kissed both her cheeks "Mon amour, comment vas-tu?" (My love, how are you?)
"Je vais bien et toi? Je suis si heureux de te voir" Lyra grinned taking Fleurs hands (I'm fine and you? I'm so happy to see you!)
The Veela sighed "Eh bien, tu serais le seul" she sniffed as if she wasn't bothered but the mere fact she brought it up showed otherwise. (Well you'd be the only one)
Lyra giggled "On en reparlera bientôt je le jure, laisse-moi te dire bonjour et ensuite nous prendrons le thé avant de nous coucher" Fleur nodded and released her hands tucking herself back into Bill's side happily, Bill smiled appreciatively at Lyra who nodded her hellos before moving on to the other Weasleys. (We'll talk about it again soon i swear, let me say my hellos and then we'll have tea before bed)
She'd finished saying hello to the twins listening intently to their new ideas when a large pair of arms wrapped around her in a tight hug all the while lifting her from the ground, she caught sight of a rather large burn scar on one burly arm and knew who had accosted her "Charlie i need my ability to breath back please" he chuckled and put her back on the ground allowing her to turn and wrap her arms around his middle "I'm rather fond of breathing thank you"
Over the summer they'd been sending letters back and fourth, it was mainly about him trying to get her to agree to work in Romania with the dragons but they'd become close friends she guessed "Not brave enough to look after dragons" Charlie huffed quietly "You just stepped over battle lines my mother and Fleur have drawn without blinking an eye"
"It's called being a good host" Lyra raised her nose taking the appearance of a proper lady "Not that you'd know about that, you stink of dragon"
"It's my new cologne, you like it?" he winked and she snickered.
"Do i like the smell of dragon, sweat and fire? Hmm let me think about that"
He roared out a laugh and shoved her away from him playfully "You can play hard to get all you want"
"Excuse me!" Her father cleared his throat as he glared at the dragon tamer who just grinned.
"I'm trying to recruit Lyra to work with the dragons in Romania"
Sirius' shoulders relaxed a smidge "Oh, well the answer is no--HEY! Put that back!" he called out shaking his head as he walked after the twins who ran off with something they'd clearly taken.
"Smooth" Lyra shook her head at the brawny man next to her.
Charlie slicked his hair back and winked again "I know"
"You cut your hair?" she frowned slightly but it quickly turned into a light grin "Is that the start of curls i see?"
"Of course not woman!" he flattened his hair down "My mother had Bill pin me down"
"Bill? I thought you were the dragon tamer? Wow i'm so not impressed" she walked away laughing when he tried to defend his honour, shouting how he was in fact the strongest Weasley which then started off the Weasley arm wrestling contest which turned into a large free for all.
Arthur of course didn't join as he was still healing, Kreacher and Winky had gone all out with dinner and décor but it was lovely "Everybody sit down, come on now we've waited long enough" Molly waved at everyone "We have presents to open" she grinned and started handing out presents to everyone.
Lyra opened her wrapped gift, the wrapping was a silver colour, inside was something knitted which made her grin but when she took it out she had been expected a scarf or a hat which is normally what Molly made her but it opened up to showcase a beautiful black knitted jumper with a silver L on the front.
"Oh" she breathed out as she held it up staring at it, this was the first jumper she'd received, the first Weasley jumper and she felt her eyes start to burn slightly.
"Everything alright dear?" Molly asked when she noticed the girl was staring at the jumper, she knew the girl had more then enough money in her vaults but jumpers was what she did.
"It's..." Lyra sniffled gently "It's perfect, thank you" she immediately pulled it over her shirt humming when she felt the soft material against the skin that was showing. Charlie who was sat next to her nudged her gently a soft smile on his face when she chuckled and wiped the tear that had fallen.
When the rubbish was thrown away Mr Weasley held up his cup "Toast! A Christmas toast! To Mr Harry Potter, without whom i wouldn't be here...Harry!"
"Harry!" the room echoed the toast lifting their glasses.
"Hold eye contact" Lyra turned to Charlie who grinned but held eye contact as they both took sips of the punch which the twins had most defiantly spiked.
"Why the eye contact?"
"Seven years bad sex without it"
Charlie choked on his punch slightly "Oh! Right well good, that's good...Not the bad sex of course but erh--"
Lyra's snickers cut him off "You blush? Never though that was possible"
"Fuck off" he hissed turning away to cover his blush.
"Language!" Molly scolded him "Lyra darling you'll have to excuse my Charlie, too much time away with those boys and his dragons"
"Oh that's alright Mrs Weasley, i forgive him for the vulgar language"
Molly smiled warmly at her "That's very kind of you dear" the smile dropped as she pointed her finger at Charlie in warning.
"Smooth" Charlie whispered.
"Please, that was nothing"
~~~
Lyra had finished tea with Fleur, the girl had let off some steam ranting about how mean Mrs Weasley could be, how she felt iced out and Lyra had told her that sometimes she could come off as blunt but that was no fault of her own merely the language barrier. Fleur could also be seen as arrogant but the girl was anything but, maybe a bit high maintenance but what was the issue of her liking the finer things in life?
Fleur had left the room after tea looking much lighter then before, more sure of herself like she now knew ways that could help her be liked by the family for Bill's sake. Lyra got ready for bed before she went to find Kreacher, "Thought i'd find you here" she smiled looking at the tapestry, more specifically at her uncle Regulus.
"You could have called, i would have come to you" Kreacher frowned.
"That's alright" she grinned handing him a wrapped gifted which he slowly opened just as he always did "I remember you saying about more Shakespeare books, i'm not that knowledgeable about his work but this is the one i know the most about" she watched his long fingers trace the front of the book, it was a red leather binding with gold lattice detailing which she though was rather fitting.
"It is wonderful Mistress Lyra, Kreacher gives his thanks" not once did his eyes leave the copy of Romeo and Juliet "Does this one end happily also?"
Lyra frowned "I'm afraid not Kreacher, but i'm sure if anyone looked hard enough they may find one hidden within the sadness"
"You know i don't like you spending too much time in here" Her fathers voice broke them out of their moment and Kreacher immediately started to grumble under his breath as he left and Sirius just ignored him as he went.
"I know" She grinned turning back to the tapestry "After the war i want to reinstate Andromeda along with Dora and Ted. I want to fix it all" she gently traced her hand up and over to Andromeda's scorch mark.
Sirius watched her closely "Undoing it will not undo the bad the Black family has done"
"I know that" Lyra nodded "But this is our history, we need to preserve it so we can continue learning from it"
"I...I've never thought of it that way" Sirius blinked a few times at her words and he saw her turn smiling at him kindly "You really are magnificent you know that"
"I do" she smirked and he laughed.
"Modest too"
"I get it from you" She moved closer wrapping her arms around his torso as she sunk her face into his jacket breathing him in.
"I'll miss you when you go back"
"As will i...Father?" she whispered and he hummed "I'm going to try stopping something but if it is to go ahead i need you to promise me something"
"Anything"
"Do not go near the archway"
Sirius frowned "What?"
"Swear it to me now! You will not go near the archway"
"Alright" he pulled away enough to cup her cheeks "I will not go near any archways"
"It's a specific one but you will know exactly what i am talking about if you are to see it"
"Can you tell me more about what you have seen?"
She sighed, she couldn't tell him anything else because then that means he would most likely show up and if Lyra can somehow convince Harry not to go then they won't even be there "I haven't seen much, just an archway and then..."
"And then" he encouraged her to continue.
"And then you die"
All the breath in him left "Okay, alright no archways, got it" he nodded "Now no more worrying alright baby?" she nodded and he kissed her forehead for a few seconds as if to imprint it in to them both and he released her "Off to bed with you now"
"Goodnight, i love you dad"
"I love you too baby" Sirius watched his daughter climb the stairs to her room all the way until he could no longer see her before he sighed and covered his eyes, he couldn't leave her or Harry to do this alone.
~~~
Surprisingly enough the Weasleys and Hermione had stayed the whole week before school restarted, Lyra spent most of her time separated between a few people but the one person who she seemed to have spent the most time with was Charlie. She was shocked to find that spending time with Charlie was fun and the best part? She didn't think of Harry, she could see him in the room and interact with him without feeling like her heart was going to give out and it seemed their friendship went back to how it used to be or at least it felt like she could accept friends was all they could be.
Then one evening she and Charlie were in the library as she was showing him all the books they had on dragons which had been quite a few, they were tucked up on one of the couches sharing a blanket.
"What's you favourite dragon?" He asked so out of the blue it startled her slightly.
"I'll tell you but you mustn't laugh"
He smirked leaning closer "Would i do such a thing?"
Lyra glared at him "It's the Hebridean Black"
"I should have predicted that" he hummed leaning backwards against the couch "Because it's named after you in a way?"
"No" she hissed punching his shoulder "I think it's very pretty and i like the fact that while it holds it's ground and is known to be not the most docile dragon it's shown time and again that it has a sense of a moral compass. Show it compassion, respect and it just may spare your life" she grinned happily.
"Mine is--"
"The Ukrainian Ironbelly" she answered for him and he fell silent as he watched her "You, Charlie Weasley, are quite predictable yourself, Ukrainian Ironbelly was, or at the very least is, still the largest breed of dragon. With an immense wingspan, long talons and rough scales said to be as hard as steel...It's quite fitting i--"
Before she could finish she gasped gently when his hand cupped the nape of her neck drawing her closer before he pressed his lips against her own. It was shocking but pleasant, she didn't pull away if anything she moved closer her own hands coming up, one rested against his cheek while the other crept round before slinking into his wavy hair.
"How do you know that" he whispered against her lips making her shiver.
"I remember" she whispered back "My birthday you read to me from your book of dragons" Lyra felt his breathing catch.
"You weren't even...Lyra, you'd just turned one, how could you...?"
"I have a very good memory" she smiled when he hummed and gently tugged her back kissing her again, things might have gotten a little too hot because a throat being cleared made both of them jump apart and Lyra tugged down her jumper before running her hand through her messed up hair.
"Unless there is an arrangement between your families i do not know of, i'd advise you to keep your hands off my Mistress...And Kreacher is all knowing so that just leaves the second option" Kreacher scolded Charlie who was flushed and panting not even making a move to correct his own shirt or remove the lip gloss from his own lips.
"Kreacher we--"
Kreacher held his hand up cutting her off "No more, Kreacher sees more then enough. More then he wants too, He was unaware of this development but he now knows and he will be keeping both eyes on you at all times...Off to bed"
Lyra gasped "Kreacher!"
"Bed!" He ordered and she huffed giving up "Do not huff at me missy! I should spank you silly and tell the dog of this but Kreacher is forgiving and you haven't misbehaved before, so he knows it is this boys terrible influence" Kreacher shook his forefinger at her while glaring daggers at Charlie.
Lyra stood "Goodnight Charlie"
"Night Lyra" Charlie whispered looking at her with a look in his eyes that made her want to shiver but then he yelped and held his arm "Your elf just hexed me!"
"Kreacher will do more if you keeps looking at his Mistress like that! Ooooh he should tell the dog! He should! Kreacher might just tell the wolf instead" he clicked his fingers and grinned widely "Yes! That is what Kreacher will do"
"Kreacher! No!" lyra gasped once more but he was already leaving the room with a evil cackle, she spun back to Charlie "Run!"
"Where!" Charlie leaped from the sofa and followed her "From what?"
"Not the way i'm going!" she hissed "I don't want to get caught" she threw an ice charm at the floor wandlessly and he slipped hitting the ground with a loud grunt.
"HE WHAT!" she heard Remus' shouting somewhere behind her, when she glanced back Charlie had wide eyes finally understand who Kreacher was talking about and he scrambled to get up, looking at her pleadingly but she'd already turned the corner and had left him to face the consequences of his own actions.
She didn't kiss him, he kissed her...Twice! She was wholly innocent here!
~~~
Wholly innocent or not, Lyra had been grounded for life by Remus then grounded for another lifetime by Sirius. Mrs Weasley had scolded Charlie but she couldn't hide the look of joy from her face when she found out, the twins had grimaced and refused to talk about it claiming it was like their brother and sister kissing.
Ron had yelled at her before his mother dragged him off by the ear but it had been Harry and Ginny's reaction that had confused her most. Harry had taken to ignoring Charlie, icing him out almost entirely while Ginny had all but glued herself to Lyra's side not allowing Lyra or Charlie to even sit next to one another.
That had lasted right up until he left to go back to Romanian and she was on the Hogwarts Express heading back to school. One kiss and they acted as if they were screwing on the dining table at dinner time, it was ridiculous but Charlie had promised to send her letters when no one was listening too focused on one of the twins pranks which had actually just turned out to be one of his own and she still smirked at the dedication.
At Hogwarts things were quiet-ish and the only thing to note for the first two weeks was that Harry had started dating Cho Chang, "Lyra!" she sighed having been enjoying her book but she looked away seeing her three friends "Hagrid's back! Come on" Harry grinned as he grabbed her hand and dragged her along as they ran to Hagrid's hut.
They skidded to a stop when they heard a grating sound "I will say this one last time...I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been?" they snuck up to glance in the window and saw Umbridge.
"I told you, i've been away for my health" Hagrid answered.
"Your health?"
"Bit of fresh air, you know?"
Umbridge hummed "Oh yes, as gamekeeper, fresh air must be difficult to come by...If i were you i shouldn't get too used to being back, in fact i mightn't bother unpacking at all" they all hid as she moved to the door and the four of them waited for her to leave before they knocked at the door to the hut and Hagrid let them in.
He was fine, a little bruised but other then that fine, he had grabbed a hunk of cold meat and was holding it to his eye "This is top secret, right? Dumbledore sent me to parlay with the giants"
"Giants!" Hermione gasped and the boys shushed her so she lowered her voice to a whisper "You found them?"
"Well they're not that hard to find, to be perfectly honest...They're so big see? I tried to convince them to join the cause but i wasn't the only one that was trying to win them over"
"Death eaters?" Ron asked watching as Lyra added a spoon of sugar into her tea as if they weren't talking about war.
Hagrid nodded "Yes...Trying to persuade them to join You-Know-Who"
"And? Did they?" Harry cupped his large tea mug using the heat to ground himself.
"I gave them Dumbledore's message, suppose some of them remember he was friendly to them, i suppose" Hagrid answered with an unsettled sigh.
"And they did that to you?" Harry nodded towards Hagrid's bruised and cut face.
Fang barked before whining as he stared at the hunk of meat in Hagrid's hand as he licked his lips drooling as he did so "Not exactly no" when Fang continued to whine and bark Hagrid sighed heavily "Go on, you have it then you dopey dog" he threw the meat towards the dog who started to chow down.
They all looked towards the window as they heard loud thundering "It's changing out there" Hagrid shook his head "Just like last time...There's a storm coming 'Arry and we'd all best be ready when she does"
~~~
That storm did in fact come, it decided to grace them the Saturday quidditch game Gryffindor was playing against Slytherin as they both won in their last matches. Lyra growled when she once again swiped her hand down her face so she could see, her hair which had been braided back by Hermione was soaked and being weighed down by the rain.
Her clothes were sticking to her and there was only so much warming charms could do "What's wrong Black? Not scared of lighting as well as fire are you?" Cassius Warrington one of the Slytherin Chasers smirked at her Lyra stared at him for a few seconds before she searched for a bludger "Oh come on Black, where's your fight?" She saw Jack about to hit it so she nodded towards herself discreetly and he frowned but hit it at her.
Once the bludger came close enough she tightened her grip on her bat and aimed for the back of his broom with as much of her strength as she could, the steel ball made perfect contact sending the boy spinning for the ground as he tried not to fall "How's that for fight, dickhead?" she muttered flying off to continue protecting her team.
Gryffindor was ahead by thirty points but the weather made it hard to not only find the snitch but even making goals with the quaffle was a mission, everything moved slower as everyone was more cautious...Well mainly everyone. Lyra was zooming back and fourth with her firebolt not once allowing the quaffle out of her sight, when Slytherin had it they never held it for long as they fought to miss the bludgers she'd viciously send their way. When Gryffindor had the quaffle Slytherin couldn't get close enough once more as they were continuously ducking bludgers.
That had been until Jack Sloper sent a bludger heading straight for Draco who was still searching for the snitch as he routinely wiped rain off his goggles. Lyra had seen it coming towards her and she knew Draco hovered somewhere behind her but he sat slightly higher then her, she didn't even process as she reached up as high as she could that she actually started to stand on her brooms feet rests.
"Lyra Black has just saved Malfoy from a bludger?" Lee Jorden announced with confusion heavy in his voice "The rain must be seriously messing her vision up if she mistook him for one of her own"
She saw Hermione waving at her madly from the stands so on the way passed Lyra brought herself as close to the stands as she could get practically brushing her leg against it as she slowed, people jerked back but Hermione drew her wand and almost hung over the edge of the box "Impervius" the girl shouted over the rain as she wand tapped Lyra's goggles.
"Love you!" Lyra screamed as she continued flying towards Angelina who had the quaffle.
After another thirty minutes Ginny flew passed her splashing Lyra with water off the back of her broom by accident, Draco having seen Ginny flying with new purpose set to follow but Katie flew in front of him making him swerve and before the foul could be seen Ginny caught the snitch bringing their joint drowning to a close.
"Miss Black!" An angry high pitched voice screeched as she landed heading to the changing rooms to get out of her soaked robes, she sighed and looked back at Umbridge "You are one very angry individual, i cannot in good faith allow you to keep playing so because of that you are here forth banned from playing Quidditch"
"Are you fucking joking" Lyra grinned but it looked vicious for everyone who could see it.
"Detention! Vulgar language is not acceptable"
Lyra snarled but turned around as she kept walking but Angelina and the other Gryffindor players started to make a commotion "Just leave it be!" she called out trying to get the to stop.
McGonagall had approached at some point and cleared her throat "You cannot keep banning the players Delores, there won't be much of a team left if you do. Miss Black didn't do anything vicious in the game she just played the part of a beater, a bloody good one too"
"Minerva, if you thought she isn't a vicious beast of a child then maybe you should not be head of house..."
Lyra sighed "You got me" she threw her hands up in the air "I'm vicious, untamed, rabid...A danger to all and now i am banned from quidditch, i heard you loud and clear. There's not much to be done people her Majesty has spoken, leave it be" she rolled her eyes "Now i am going to go change...As long as that is alright with you, your grace" Lyra dropped into a deep curtsy which even soaking wet and cold was perfect.
"Go!" Delores snapped knowing when someone was mocking her, the other children snickering helped her connect those dots also.
"At once" she snapped up and smirked winking at Ginny who looked ready to blow a fuse.
~~~
"She hates you" Hermione sighed resting her head on Lyra's shoulder at the table.
"Told you so" Lyra hummed brushing the new mark on the back of her hand, she didn't do as many lines this time so this one shouldn't scar, 'I mustn't act beastly' it was not something Lyra could get behind so unlike the first one there was no chance she was allowing it to even come close to scarring.
: 'Mass Breakout From Azkaban'
Lyra sighed at the Daily Profit, unlike the films Fudge had not been stupid enough to blame Sirius as the reason they escaped "Dumbledore warned Fudge this would happen, he's going to get us all killed just because he can't face the truth" Hermione huffed seeing what held Lyra's attention.
"Harry?" Lyra looked up to see Harry walking towards them after saying his goodbyes to Cho but Seamus had stopped him "I wanted to apologise, now even me Mam says the Profit's versions aren't adding up...So what i'm really trying to say is that, i believe you"
Harry had smiled and nodded as he took his seat "Nicely done Seamus, always the bigger man" Lyra joked ducking when he threw a spoon at her head "Now now Seamus that wasn't very big of you..." the second throw had been a bread roll that flew at her, she caught before ripping a bite out of it with a smirk "Thanks"
~~~
Their next DA meeting was the one where Harry was going to teach them how to cast the Patronus charm "Make it a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember" Harry spoke after he'd given everyone the steps they'd have to take there'd been a few shields but no corporal Patronus' just yet "Allow it to fill you up, keep trying Seamus"
A magpie Patronus flew passed Lyra and she tracked it back to George who was grinning side by side with Fred "A full bodied Patronus is the most difficult to produce but shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents" Harry walked around the room "Fantastic Ginny!" Lyra turned seeing a mare galloping around the room "Just remember your Patronus can only protect you for as long as you stay focused"
Lyra grinned when Ginny's mare reared onto it's back legs before cantering around her, she looked up and saw Ginny blushing deeply just before the horse flickered out of existence, she was being so strange towards Lyra recently and Lyra wasn't sure as to why.
"Ready?" Hermione grinned from beside her drawing her attention off of Ginny.
"Oh are we to do it together?" Lyra smirked and Hermione nodded.
"I wonder what ours will be"
Lyra shrugged "I guess we'll just have to find out" with that both girls faced forward and casted the spell. Hermione's Patronus turned into the famous otter form, it dipped in the air like it was swimming until it started to float in front of Hermione while Lyra's form finally took it's full corporal form. The panther stretched before it took chase after a hare that had bounded by it, the panther knocked into a Jack Russel who also gave chase.
A deep rumbling caught everyone's attention, half of the Patronus' fizzled into nothing but a few remained, her own panther stopped chasing the hare to settle by her side before Lyra allowed it to fizzle out of existence. There were more rumbling thuds and everyone gathered in the middle to look at the entrance of the room, the glass shattered falling to the floor leaving behind stone.
Harry walked forward after Nigel who crept towards a small hole in the stone, they were not there long before Harry dragged Nigel back just in time for the wall to explode sending dust and rubble everywhere.
When the dust settled they all saw Umbridge, Flich, her little squad and Cho Chang. Lyra had expected it to be Edgecombe like the books but this was just as bad seeing as Cho and Harry were dating.
"Get them" Umbridge ordered and the group moved Harry was taken away along with Cho to where Lyra suspected Dumbledore would be escaping.
The downside of that was shown with the next Decree:
Proclamation.
Educational Decree No. 119
Delores Jane Umbridge has replaced Albus Dumbledore as head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
With the decree came fast changes, including speakers that were on almost 24 hours a day as it listed her decrees on repeat. Along with that all the portraits had been removed from the whole castle giving the castle a more bleak and dark tone to it and while most of the paintings had secondary portraits to go to some even more then one, it was still very rude to discard them in such a manner.
Unfortunately that meant her ancestor Phineas Black was spending more time at Grimmauld Place at his other portrait annoying her father and sprouting abuse at Remus.
The whole of the DA was punished and had to serve a group detention, each was given a blood quill and Umbridge watched them with her pot of overly sweetened tea looking almost like she was having an orgasmic release to Lyra's horror. When it was over they all left to tend to the youngest group members wounds, in doing so they all passed Cho who hadn't been punished.
This wasn't because Umbridge was being kind, no she knew it was further damage the group of students who dared to go against her. Lyra while knowing the girl probably had no choice chose to just walk by in silence but it wasn't them Cho was waiting for.
But Harry had nothing to say to her either.
~~~
"You did everything you could, no one could win against that old hag" Ron comforted Harry as they walked over the bridge.
Hermione nodded as they came to a stop to look over the black lake "Even Dumbledore didn't see this coming...Harry, if it's anyone's fault, it's ours"
"Yea we talked you into it"
"But i agreed, i tried so hard to help and all it's done is made things worse"
Lyra frowned as she moved to stand beside Harry "That's not true, those who joined us are finally no longer failing in Defence, something big is coming Harry and you gave them the means to protect themselves...That means more then anything"
"It doesn't matter because i don't want to play anymore. All it does is make you care too much, the more you care the more you have to lose...Maybe it's just better to."
"To what?" Hermione asked when he faded off.
"To go it alone"
"Harry--" Lyra was interrupted by a psst sound and they turned to see Hagrid hiding behind the wall.
"Hagrid?"
The half giant waved them forward and they followed him into the dark forest, Hagrid barely spoke until they were far enough in that he deemed it safe "Do you have any idea where he's taking us?" Ron questioned and Lyra shook her head.
"Hagrid, why can't you just tell us?" Harry asked as he followed the man quickly, they came to an abrupt halt when a herd of centaurs ran past yelling as they went.
"I've never seen the centaurs so riled and they're dangerous at the best of times" Hagrid sighed "The ministry restricts their territory much more they're gonna have a full uprising on their hands"
Hermione moved forward "Hagrid what's going on?"
"I'm sorry to be so mysterious you four, I-I wouldn't be bothering you at all with it but...With Dumbledore gone...I'll likely be getting the sack any day now and i just couldn't leave without telling someone about him" Lyra shifted slightly at the emotion in Hagrid's voice.
Heavy footsteps approached and they all looked up to see a giant appear, he was chasing birds like one would butterflies "Grawpy?" Hagrid called in a sing song voice "Down here you great buffoon" the birds flew towards them and they all ducked just in time to see Grawp clap his hands together as he tried to catch a bird where Ron's head had just been "Grawpy! I brought you some company"
The group of four stood once more to see the giant had forgotten about the birds at the sight of them, he smiled and rushed forward pushing Hagrid as he passed. The four of them backed up and just before he made it to them something tugged him backwards.
Lyra saw the rope tied around his waist tethering him to a large tree "I couldn't just leave him there because--because he's my brother" Hagrid smiled as he had climbed to his feet.
"Blimey" Ron breathed out.
"Well half brother really. He's completely harmless just like i said" Hagrid told them as the giant leant down to lower his face by their own "Little high spirited is all"
As Hagrid spoke Hermione who'd been backing up tripped and Grawp had used that second to grab the pretty human as he lifted her into the air "Grawp that is not nice!" Hagrid yelled over Hermione's startled scream.
"Hagrid do something!" Ron yelled to the half giant as Harry moved Lyra to stand behind the two of them.
"We talked about this, you do not grab do you! That's your new friend Hermione" Hagrid smiled as he remained calm, Ron on the other hand had grabbed a large branch and ran forward hitting the giant around the legs but the branch merely snapped "Grawpy!"
The giant kicked Ron back who stumbled reaching Harry and Lyra once more.
"Grawp! Put. Me. Down! Now!" Hermione scolded the giant sternly, the giant looked sad for a moment before he slowly lowered her and released Hermione when her feet were once again on the ground.
"Are you alright?" Ron asked Hermione but did not take his eyes of the giant who had turned around back to the tree he was tied to.
"Fine. Just needs a firm hand is all" Hermione nodded rubbing her arm slightly.
"I think you've got an admirer" Harry whispered as Grawp looked for something.
Ron moved forward a step or so "You just stay away from her, all right?"
"You tell him Ron" Lyra snickered as Grawp stood straight once more having found what he'd been looking for which had been a bike handle, he rang the bell on it "Oh well that is just precious" she grinned at the shy looking giant. He walked back over and held out the handles for Hermione who took it and stood awkwardly "If you do not ring that bell i'll hit you" Lyra hissed quietly as Grawp watched intently stressing his fingers.
Hermione rang the bell and Grawp smiled as he straighten up in pride, she held the handles back out for him which he took gently and he sat down ringing the bell himself "He gets his own food and all, it's company he'll be needing when i'm gone...You will look after him, won't you? I'm the only family he's got"
Hermione was watching the giant with a soft smile, Ron was stood with his arms crossed angrily while Harry just stared "He has us now as well" Lyra beamed at the giant "He'll be just fine as will you Hagrid"
"Thank you" Hagrid wiped a tear from his face, the stress of everything catching up to him.
~~~
They were sat in the hall for a part of their O.W.L.s, they wasn't to bad actually with all the studying Lyra had been doing she was actually quite proud of herself at the rate she seemed to be flying through the test.
But somewhere after an hour or so they started to hear explosions in the hall and Lyra grinned widely realising what was to come. Umbridge couldn't ignore them anymore so she walked to the doors of the great hall, when she opened them a small blue stream of light entered and exploded like a firework with a loud whistle.
There was a few second of absolute silence before the twins entered the hall yelling and cheering on their brooms, Fred flicked his wand sending all of their papers into the air while George set off more fireworks. There were pops of colour everywhere along with whizzing and whistling noises "Here you go!" George yelled and threw something down at the four friends, in front of them appeared a small firework set just in front of their eyes.
"Brilliant" Lyra grinned.
The hall studied as the fireworks started to die down but that was when the twins threw something into the air and there was a cluster of fireworks that formed a dragons head which seemed to come alive like the Irish leprechaun back at the world cup.
The dragon set it's sight on Umbridge who started to run from it whimpering and yelling as it chased her, it chased her all the way out of the great hall where it snapped it's jaws down on her but instead of killing her like Lyra would have enjoyed it doing, it disbanded in separate streams of light each hitting and destroying a decree on the outer wall.
When the explosions hit there was a moment of silence then all of the decrees fell from the wall sending glass and shredded paper everywhere. The twins flew out of the hall and everyone followed them outside to the courtyard cheering as the twins set off more fireworks in the open sky which formed a large W in the sky.
Lyra stopped cheering when Harry fell beside her, he was panting his eyes unsteady, she crouched beside him and waited, this was it.
She could find a way to confirm her father wasn't there which would be as easy as calling for Kreacher but that would leave the Prophecy un-shattered and left Voldemort continuing to look for it and trying to collect it. Or, she could join the others at the Ministry allowing the Prophecy to be destroyed which is the best case scenario but that risked her father's life not to mention the others who get hurt there.
She couldn't see why it was so important to Voldemort, he was trying to kill Harry anyway after only hearing half of it so why would the other half matter. Would it really matter if Voldemort did in fact get a hold of the prophecy? She didn't think so, she also wasn't really willing to allow her father to potentially die for it either or allow Hermione to be almost cut in half.
"Sirius" Harry's panicked voice brought her back he grabbed her hand and started running into the castle, they were followed closely by Hermione and Ron as he told them what he had seen.
"Harry are you sure?" Hermione asked.
"I saw it, it's just like with Mr Weasley. It's the same door i've been dreaming about for months only i couldn't remember where i had seen it before! Sirius said Voldemort was after something, something he didn't have the last time and it's in the department of mysteries" Harry answered as he continued to run.
"Slow down! Just take a minute to think!" Lyra hissed pulling on his hand.
Hermione nodded in agreement "What if Voldemort meant for you to see this? What if he's hurting Sirius because he's trying to get to you?"
"What if he is? I'm supposed to just let him die? Lyra this is your father do you not care?"
Lyra scoffed "Of course i care but us running into this could get someone killed! So let's take a few seconds and check"
"Check what?" Harry frowned but let her drag him into an alcove with the others.
"Kreacher?" Lyra called and the other three jumped when a low popping sound joined them and they looked down to see the old elf.
"Mistress Lyra, what is it you need?"
"Is my father at home?"
The elf frowned before nodding "He is with the wolf eating whatever Winky has made"
"What?" Harry shook his head in denial "No, i saw it"
"I think you did Harry but i think what you saw was something Voldemort had manipulated, what is it you heard him say?"
"It was about a prophecy"
Lyra nodded "He wants the Prophecy that mentions the two of you, he only had half last time but if i'm being honest the second half wouldn't help him much...I think he felt you when you saw Nagini attacking Mr Weasley and he has used that to send you an image"
"So what do we do?" Ron asked trying to clear the tension.
This was when she could use Lucius' words of wisdom, that thought shook her as she remembered he'd been tasked with getting the Prophecy...He failed last time and it got him send to Azkaban as well as Draco being marked but if they don't turn up it wouldn't be he's fault but Voldemort's right? He also wouldn't be sent to Azkaban either...
She didn't know what to do!
She didn't want to go, too many people were in danger if they go. She didn't want Lucius in Azkaban, she didn't want Draco to be marked, she didn't want her father to die, she didn't want Hermione to be hurt, it was kind of simple when she thought of it that way.
However then her mind kicked in, if they didn't go Voldemort wasn't seen by Fudge and that would mean he could stay hidden for longer giving him more time to grow his army and recruit. The link between Harry and him would grow meaning Harry would suffer worse visions and that didn't discount the fact that Voldemort could set up another vision to make Harry go and that could mean Harry might go alone.
And then there was the worst case scenario...If Voldemort did get the Prophecy and he figured out Harry was linked to him because a small part of his soul lived in Harry then heaven forbid! Voldemort would probably stop trying to kill Harry and would go out of his way to keep Harry under his control or imprisoned while the rest of them were killed.
If Fudge didn't see him, he would continue to bash Dumbledore and Harry while Voldemort grew in numbers meaning the war would be even harder to win and the final battle was already hard enough. And let's not forget the fact that it would leave Voldemort more chances to control Harry through the link...
She was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"Lyra?"
"I don't know! I don't know okay? I'm seeing flashes and neither cases are good, i don't know what to do!" she snapped and started to pace.
"Talk to us, let us help" Hermione begged as they watched Lyra put her hands into her hair and grip on the curls.
"If we go there's a chance my father dies, Hermione gets seriously hurt not to mention others however Fudge sees Voldemort and a few death eaters go to Azkaban...But if we don't go my father lives, Hermione isn't hurt but then Voldemort is still in hiding growing his numbers meaning it will be harder to defeat him and there's a chance he can kill Harry" she spat out not once stopping her pacing and the others fell silent.
"We need to tell the Order, they should know what to do" Hermione offered.
"They're waiting on Harry" Lyra shook her head "It needs to be soon but everything is flashing by too fast, there's too many changes i can not keep track of what can happen"
"It's not on you to keep us safe Lyra, we can not give him any more time to build his army, Fudge needs to see him, we have to do this Lyra you know we do" Harry grabbed her shoulders stopping her from pacing as he stared into her eyes.
"At what risk?"
"We have to risk it, you said if not he's harder to defeat? What if not going allows him to win?" Lyra remained silent at his questioning and he nodded "We need to use the floo"
Lyra turned to look at Kreacher she crouched and began to whisper into his ear "I need you to tell Lucius not to get caught, do not let anyone see you other then him and when you're done tell my father we'll be going to the department of Ministries" she ordered and he nodded snapping out of existence to do as she ordered.
"Umbridge has the chimneys under surveillance" Hermione warned the two boys trying to give Lyra a bit of privacy.
"Not all of them" Harry grinned as he started running for her office in Defence, she had yet to move into the head masters chambers for some reason.
Harry moved to the fireplace which sprung to life "Alert the Order if you can"
"Are you mental? We're going with you" Ron frowned.
"You heard Lyra, it's too dangerous!"
Hermione sunk to her knees beside Harry "When are you going to get it into your head? We're in this together"
"That. You. Are" Umbridge's voice made them all turn to see her stood by the doorway, they were taken a hold of by the Inquisitorial Squad.
Draco walked in with Neville "Caught this one trying to help the Weasley girl" Crabbe held onto Hermione, Goyle had Ron, Montague had a hold of Ginny, Warrington had Luna while Theo Nott had a firm grip on Lyra's shoulder.
Umbridge stood in front of Harry who had been sat in a chair "You were going to Dumbledore weren't you?" she smiled leaning over him.
"No" Harry shook his head but his head flung to the side after she smacked him.
"Hey! He wasn't lying he hasn't had contact with Dumbledore" Lyra shouted stepping forward but Theo stopped her with an arm around her waist.
"But you do don't you" Umbridge smirked and Lyra cocked a brow "Dumbledore said he was responsible for creating the army but i think he asked you to do it and not Mr Potter you see i found this little sheet it that room of yours" she pointed to the sign up sheet they had made "Your name is the first one on it"
Lyra scoffed "Well done, you figured it out because it was laid out nice and orderly for you on a piece of paper"
"Where is Dumbledore?"
Lyra sneered at the woman "I ain't telling you shit"
"Why did he ask you and not Harry?"
"Because he trusts me implicitly" Lyra smirked at her own words "Dumbledore and I are as thick as thieves" she joked.
"What did you steal?"
Lyra laughed at Umbridge "I'll tell you what Sherlock Holmes, you are on a roll!"
"Is he building an army?" Umbridge tried once more but Lyra just smirked, time to be buried Delores Umbridge...