Ronald had been poisoned, he had eaten chocolates meant for Harry sent by one Romilda Vane and when Harry took Ron to Slughorn to be help he was then poisoned by a drink which had been provided for Dumbledore from Draco.
Lyra was stood with Harry by Ron's bedside while Hermione and Ginny took the seats either side of the hospital cot. She looked up when people approached, who were McGonagall, Dumbledore, Snape and Slughorn, in said order.
"Quick thinking on your part Harry, using a bezoar" Dumbledore complimented the boy next to her as he studied Ron's unconscious body "You must be very proud of your student Horace"
"Hm? Oh, yes, very proud" Slughorn nodded holding onto a bottle.
"I think we agree Potter's actions were heroic, the question is, why were they necessary?" McGonagall asked looking very disturbed.
"Why indeed?" Dumbledore moved to stand beside Slughorn "This appears to be a gift Horace?" the bottle in his hands did in fact have a bow on it "Do you remember who gave you this bottle? Which by the way possesses remarkably subtle hints of liquorice and cherry when not polluted with poison"
"Actually i had intended to give it as a gift myself" Slughorn shook his head.
"To whom, i might ask?"
"To you headmaster"
"Where is he! Where's my Won-Won? Has he been asking for me?" Lavender ran into the room almost skidding to a stop by the end of Ron's bed, the girl was panting and looked close to falling to the ground in worry but that changed when she saw Hermione by his bedside "What's she doing here?"
"I might ask you the same question?" Hermione stood from the chair.
"I happen to be his girlfriend" Lavender snarled at Hermione.
"I happen to be his...Friend"
Lyra winced at the hesitation and Lavender clearly also found it funny because she scoffed "Don't make me laugh, you haven't spoken in weeks...I suppose you want to make up with him now that he's all interesting"
"He's been poisoned you daft dimbo! And for the record i've always found him interesting"
Ron, being the dramatic being that he was, decided to gasp in his sleep and fidget "Ah see? He senses my presence" Lavender smirked which made Lyra flatten her lips, almost feeling sorry for the poor girl "Don't worry Won-Won, i'm here"
Ron began to mumble and the room fell silent enough for them all to hear Ron call out for Hermione, Lavender gasped and ran off sobbing "That was painful to watch" Lyra frowned with a grimace.
"Oh to be young, and to feel love's keen sting" Dumbledore spoke and she rolled her eyes seeing as her back was turned to him, Harry chuckled weakly "Well, come away everybody, Mr Weasley is well tended"
The teachers barring Slughorn left quickly obviously feeling uncomfortable, Ginny stood and came to a stop in front of Lyra and Harry "About time don't you think?"
"Yeah" Harry nodded, he was happy for Ron but he also felt guilty for the envious feeling that bloomed in his chest, as if it were that easy.
~~~
"Stop it Ron, you're making it snow" Hermione scolded Ron when she saw Lyra brush snow off the book she was reading, it was a book on healing magic.
"Tell me how i broke up with Lavender again" Ron asked seeing Lavender staring at him on another breakfast table.
"Um well" Hermione looked to both Lyra and Harry for help but both remained silent, Hermione was the one who wanted to keep it quite about what he has said so neither of them were going to help her out of this hole "S-She came to visit you in the hospital and you talked...I don't believe it was a particularly long conversation"
"Don't get me wrong, i'm bloody thrilled to be shot of her, it's just she seems a bit put out"
"Eloquently put as always Ronald" Lyra scoffed flicking the page of her book as she read about healing spells to be better prepared, it seemed no matter how hard she studied and practiced she couldn't it up as quickly as she did everything else "She seems put out because you said--" Hermione foot jerked out kicking her shin harshly in panic and Lyra growled out in pain.
They all turned to look at Lavender sending both Ron and Hermione death glares while she was clearly picturing their necks with the grip she hand on a spoon "Yes, she does, doesn't she?" Hermione cleared her throat.
"Wonder why?" Harry looked at Lyra who smirked and bumped his shoulder with her own.
"You say you don't remember anything for that night? Anything at all?" Hermione asked once more, this was why she was being silent about it, she wanted to see if he meant it.
"There is something" Ron frowned and they all held their breaths "But it can't be, i was completely boggled wasn't i?"
"Right, boggled" Hermione went back to reading the profit, but a new group of people walked in drew her attention up and she gasped slightly "Harry, that's Katie, Katie Bell"
Harry was up and out of his seat the moment she had finished, Lyra let him go but when he followed Draco from the hall she was out of her seat and chasing after him, she had told him what the spell was and she was sure he wouldn't use it but she had to make sure.
When she approached the bathrooms she heard yelling and when she ran inside she watched Draco be sent flying onto the water flooded floors with a large gash a crossed his chest. She hadn't meant to scream but it slipped as she ran forward dropping to her knees she brought her wand up and started to fix it. Harry hadn't casted Sectumsempra a simple Diffindo had been cast though, the spell had been at the front of his mind since what happened at the Burrow and it had just slipped out.
"It's okay, you'll be just fine" Harry could hear Lyra whispering to Draco as she cried over him, the anger in his chest that had dwindled seeing Draco actually hurt flared again. Before he could start spouting off anything Professor Snape waltzed into the room.
"I have it from here Miss Black" He knelt down and healed Draco quicker then she had been, his spells perfected long ago, he looked at Harry and dropped his voice to a whisper "You need to go, you can't been seen helping him by anyone else" The girl shook her head not wanting to leave "You need to go, he will check memories Lyra, go"
She climbed to her feet and flew from the room distantly she heard Harry chasing after her, she knew it wasn't all his fault and Draco had most likely threw the first spell but Harry had chased him and confronted him about Katie.
She made it to her dorm before he could follow, the others having heard had sat with him, Ginny had told Harry he needed to hide to book after he'd admitted almost using the sectumsempra spell and they went off together to do it which left Hermione to comfort Lyra "He's alright you know? Draco? I went to Madam Pormfrey for a 'headache' and i heard him talking with Nott, he's to be released tomorrow morning"
"Thank you" she sniffled holding Hermione's hand.
"Lyra? I don't understand...About Draco and why you are so upset?"
"I...I can't tell you yet, it is dangerous and...Can you just trust that i know what i'm doing and accept that when the time comes i'll explain it all"
Hermione nodded "Of course i can" she paused and looked hesitant "What about Harry? Are you furious?"
"I-I don't think so, i'm upset with him but i'm upset with Draco as well, i know it wasn't all his fault but i just...I was scared"
~~~
"Lyra?" she turned and frowned when Harry ran towards her with a large smile on his face, it looked wrong "I can't believe i found you! Ha, funny that!"
"Harry?"
"Right!" he grabbed her upper arms "Don't freak out" she froze when he pressed his lips against hers, it was a chaste kiss, a mere peck but she was shocked. Harry on the other hand pulled away and grinned "I was feeling lucky, oh that reminds me i am going to visit Hagrid, do you want to join me?" Lyra's mouth opened and closed like gaping fish, she'd lost all decorum and Harry just chuckled squeezing her arms affectionately "Maybe another time"
Harry ran off leaving her to watch him go, what the fuck. Lucky? She frowned, he must have had the liquid luck, she brought her hand up and lightly touched her lips unsure if that had really happened.
She spent the rest of the evening in shock, wondering from one place to another as her mind annoyingly replayed the peck over and over, it was entirely frustrating because now she knew...Lyra knew what it would be like and that wall she'd spent almost two years building had just come crumbling down with something as innocent as a peck even when she wanted to be angry at him.
So she did the only thing she could think of, when he walked into the common room she grabbed his wrist and cornered him. Lyra threw up a privacy spell as well as a notice me not charm "What the hell!"
Harry's face bloomed red and he wouldn't meet her eyes "I-I" the Liquid luck apparently had left his system.
"I don't want excuses, i want a reasoning and i want it now"
"I..."
"Unless of course you didn't mean to do it?" she cocked a brow, her heart hurt as she gave him an out but she had to know, if he took this, if he took the out this would be the last time ever they spoke of the peck and it would never be repeated again.
"Well i didn't go out of my way to...But that doesn't mean...I-It, i mean" He stuttered.
"So it meant nothing?"
Harry frowned his eyes darting around "It's not...I, well I did...It was"
"Are you at any point going to speak in full sentences?" Lyra sighed when he's face reddened another shade or so.
"I didn't not mean it" he offered her and she frowned, he didn't not mean it? Which meant in some way he had meant it, he was an idiot.
Shaking her head she grabbed his shirt in her fists and tugged him forward, she reached up on her tip toes and pressed her lips on his. She left them there for a moment longer then he had hers before pulling back "And i didn't not mean that" she threw back at him before spinning on her heel and walking away. If he wanted to play games then hell who was she to say no.
~~~
The few days the pair circled around each other, Harry's face flushed every time he saw her and she smirked seeing it. A few things had changed with her planning, she had gone back and forth with whether she should change things but with Moldy being at what seemed to be this tipping point Lyra wasn't stupid. She knew a war was going to break out, that being said she'd rather go about it with the small amount of information she still had then go into it blindsided.
She's seen Dumbledore's blackening hand when she spotted him around the castle, she knew what was coming as she continued to help Draco with the cabinet. She knew her and her friends wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts after this year, Harry would still be undesirable number one and they would follow behind. They wouldn't need to search for the horcruxes but that didn't mean they wouldn't be on the run at any point so Lyra made a bag much similar to the one she knew Hermione would make.
She began filling it up with non perishable food, bottled water, potions anything that could help them if they got into a pinch. She had also decided years prior that Bellatrix was not going to lay a hand on Hermione, she wouldn't allow it even if it meant giving her life. And she knew some people possibly would argue that it was a turning point of Hermione's life but what friend would she be to allow that to happen?
It all meant one of a few things, Dumbledore was dying because he tried to use the ring but that also meant he had destroyed it. In doing so he had unknowingly told Moldy he knew about the horcruxes and that meant there was no way she could get to the snake until the 'war', She's also found a book in the Black family library on horcruxes and it had stated that the person who's soul matched the artefact (meaning Moldy) could remove the soul fragment without destroying the artefact.
That had been concerning because she had assumed that to destroy the horcrux you had to destroy the artefact, it was concerning because that meant that the day Moldy killed Harry she wasn't sure if the only thing that saved him was the fact that he had the Deathly Hallows or if it was because Moldy was the one doing it...Or it was the result of both which meant she was no longer confident that anyone could kill the horcrux in Harry and he'd survive.
She couldn't remember the book nor films going into deep detail and the books she found didn't help...It meant Lyra couldn't do it, it had to be Tom Riddle.
~~~
"We did it" Draco whispered beside her as the bird came back to them, he reached out taking her hand in a tight vice like grip "That means--"
"I know" she whispered back.
"Can we just...Sit for a while, like we used too?"
Instead of answering with words she lead him over to a small leather sofa, he sat first and she sat beside him shifting closer to press against his side when he wrapped his arms around her. The only warning she had been given were a few wet drops to the crown of her head before he started to cry, he sobbed clutching her to his chest "We're okay, i've got you Draco" she whispered holding onto him just as tightly as he cried.
After a while his tears had slowed if not for the odd hiccup his body shook with it would have been like nothing happened "I'm sorry" Draco whispered into her hair not wanting to release her just yet.
"You have nothing to apologise for Draco, nothing"
"I have to let them in...I have to kill Dumbledore"
Lyra moved backwards reaching up to cup his face gently she turned it so she could lock eyes with him "You were given no choice Dragon, i don't blame you for any of it, do you understand! When this is all over i'll be by your side the whole way, we will make people understand"
"They'll throw me in Azkaban"
Lyra tugged his face closer slightly as she narrowed her eyes at him "They will do no such thing, they will have no reason too after everything your family has done to help our side of the war"
"You need to promise me you will be no where near the fighting when they come...One of Greybacks Beta's has taken the Alpha role and he's telling everyone he's coming for you for what you did Lyra"
"If i could handle Greyback i can handle his little beta"
"I'm not joking!" Draco snarled cupping the back of her head tightly "It is not a jest Lyra! He is coming for you, he is going to hunt you do you understand! He doesn't just want to kill you"
Along the way her hands had dropped from his face to rest on his shoulders as the hand cupping her head surprised her "I get it Draco"
"I do not think you do! You joke as if a mad wolf isn't salivating at the thought of hurting you" he pulled her cardigan to the side to flash the red scar sat on her shoulder, it was healing, slowly but it still looked raw and irritated because it was a cursed scar "You got lucky Lyra and his pack is going to do everything they can to make sure you don't get lucky again"
"I get it" she frowned and shrugged her cardigan back up to hide the mark.
"I-I'm sorry" Draco sighed seeing her face "I just worry about you Lyra, Merlin knows...Just promise me you will not be there"
"I can try"
"Good" then in a moved that shocked her Draco brought her face forward resting their foreheads together, he had closed his eyes and seemed to be taking deep breaths, Lyra knew Draco was attractive, he was one of the most sought after males in the school the girls going crazy for a sliver of his attention. But here in front of her now she realised just how beautiful he was, like an angel all white haired and sharp features "Why are you looking at me like that?" he had opened his eyes a few moments ago but hadn't moved seemingly comfortable with the closeness they had.
"I just, i never realised how beautiful you were" she smiled and he chuckled.
"Beautiful? Gee thanks, i'm so touched" his cheeks flushed and grey eyes clashed once more with silver, Lyra frowned slightly when something stirred in her stomach, something she only felt when she was with Harry "Don't look at me like that" Draco frowned himself.
"Like what?"
"Like you want to be no where else, it's not fair to do that"
"What?"
"I know you like the Pothead Lyra, i see the way you watch him...Don't look at me like you do him, it's not fair"
She shook her head "I don't know...What are you talking about!"
"I'm talking about the fact that i have accepted that you like him, why him i don't know, i will never know but i accepted it but when you sit here and look at me like that it makes me question things, question if just maybe..."
Lyra's breathing was coming in quite pants, she'd never thought of it before, she's always assumed Draco never saw her in any way that wasn't civil but she liked being around him, liked holding his hand when they were walking, liked their afternoon trail rides or reading in the Library. She hadn't realised how much she had missed him until they stared fixing the cabinet then she stared even looking forward to it, he knew her almost better then she knew herself, it was why he knew what she was thinking then, he pulled her towards him slowly giving her time to back away.
She should have, she really should have because she liked Harry, he had pecked her, but then again Harry was never going to be hers...Neither was Draco meant to be though, the butterflies in her stomach made her feel whoozy as if she'd had a bit too much to drink, as if she was getting drunk on the close proximity to Draco. She didn't pull away, she should have but instead she moved forward, her lips meeting his own gently, it was a sweet kiss infused with more emotions then there should have been.
Draco fed his hand into her curls still cupping the back of her head while the other hand rested politely on her waist, her own hands were holding his shoulders as she drew up onto her knees deepening the kiss. For something she hadn't really thought of before the kiss was turning out to be the best she'd ever had, Draco was sweet but he still asserted dominance into it with the tightness of which he held her. They didn't pull back for a long time taking measured breaths through their noses as if, if they pulled away it would be a dream, Draco clutched onto her as if he was scared she'd slip away and her hands held him just as tightly.
The butterflies had grown and she grew desperate, one of her hands slipped upwards slinking into his hair enough to enclose some of the tresses into her fist which made Draco growl against her mouth, when she perched herself onto his lap he pulled back "Stop" he panted and she froze.
"I-I'm sorry, i don't- I just"
"Don't apologise" he squeezed her hip looking like she was torturing him "Please don't apologise, i want...I want this more then you would ever know but not here, not now after we did that" he looked at the cabinet "I want to do this properly, i want you to want this as much as i do and if i have you now i know i would be sending your father a courtship contract because i know i couldn't let you go..."
Lyra nodded in understanding and went to slide back into her original seat but he grabbed her hips keeping her still "I know you still like Potter" Draco winced at the name "But i want you to give this a thought, give us a thought"
"I will" she nodded as she leant down hugging him tightly "I didn't think...But i will"
"Good, that's all i ask for" Draco closed his eyes as he held her, if she chose Potter he just might die.
~~~
The warnings she'd been given were Harry being called up to Dumbledore's office and the pair of them disappearing then the second had been a message in her and Draco's journal:
Don't leave your dorm room tonight, you promised. ~ D
While she hadn't promised to stay she had promised she'd try to stay out of the way, that hadn't meant she could contact the Order, she had sent Kreacher with a message to her father. Apparently Snape had already warned them that a group of Death eaters would be hitting that night, he had simply demanded that she stayed in her dorm and let them handle it.
~~~
Draco swallow thickly as he walked the empty corridors, he ripped the covering off the cabinet and backed away when he heard the lock clicking, the handle moved downwards and it slowly creeped open. The plan was for them to give him a few minutes to kill Dumbledore while they were there for backup but didn't move when he saw the scarred wolf exit the cabinet "He's not meant to be here!" Draco snarled loudly pointing to the wolf.
"Hush now Draco, i can bring who i want, get to it" Bellatrix tutted him as he glared at the wolf.
Draco wanted to argue but there was nothing he could do but pray she listened, he went to the astronomy tower knowing Dumbledore would be there due to Gibbon, a death eaters, plan when he saw the old man he raised his wand but said nothing.
"Good evening Draco, what brings you here on this fine spring evening?"
"Who else is here?" Draco snapped "I heard you talking"
"I often talk aloud to myself, i find it extraordinarily useful...Have you been whispering to yourself Draco?" Dumbledore questioned and Draco frowned "Draco, you are no assassin"
"How do you know what i am?" he sneered "I've done things that would shock you"
"Like cursing Katie Bell and hoping in return she'd bare a cursed necklace to me? Like replacing a bottle of mead with one laced with poison? Forgive me Draco, i cannot help feeling these actions are so weak that your heart can't have really be in them"
"He trusts me, i was chosen!" Draco spoke, Voldemort did trust him, to do anything to keep his parent's alive, Draco was no fool he knew he was only chosen to punish his parents.
"I shall make it easy for you" Dumbledore lifted his wand.
"Expelliarmus!" Draco hissed sending the old man's wand clattering to the side.
"Very good, very good" Dumbledore nodded but he saw how much the boys arm shook, he knew Draco didn't have the stomach for it, it's why he had tasked Snape to do it for him. He heard a door opening "You're not alone, there are others...How?"
"The vanishing cabinet in the room of requirement, i've been mending it"
"Let me guess, it has a sister, a twin"
"In Borgin and Burke's, they form a passage" Draco answered as he tried to procrastinate but the old man didn't even seem to be trying to get away.
"Ingenious. Draco, years ago i knew a boy who made all the wrong choices, please let me help you"
"I don't want your help, don't you understand? I have to do this, i have to kill you or he's going to kill me"
The pair were interrupted by people running up the steps "Well, look what we have here" Bellatrix grinned seeing the old man cornered "Well done Draco" she kissed his cheek not caring as he grimaced deeply.
"Good evening Bellatrix" Dumbledore greeted her as if he wasn't about to die "I think introductions are in order don't you?"
"Love to Albus, but i'm afraid we're on a bit of a tight schedule. Do it" she hissed at Draco who hesitated.
"He doesn't have the stomach, just like his father" the newly anointed Alpha werewolf growled "Let me finish him in my own way"
"No! The Dark Lord was clear, the boy is to do it" Bellatrix snarled loudly "This is your moment, do it, go on Draco! NOW!"
The boys arm shook but before he could mutter a spell someone stopped him "No" Snape walked up the steps.
"Severus...Please." Dumbledore spoke plain and clearly but where everyone would hear a man begging for his life there were three who knew otherwise.
"Avada Kedavra" Snape shot off the spell and Dumbledore's body jolt back falling off the balcony leaving only two to knew what his last words had been for.
The group of Death Eaters left the castle, attacking any who they saw on the way, Bellatrix tried to inflict as much damage on the castle as they went, the order had been there but they had made it out practically unscathed. Draco brought his hand up brushing the journal in his pocket, he just hoped everyone was the same.
~~~
Dumbledore was dead, Lyra was stood with everyone else but unlike the others her eyes were dry, even in his passing he'd been manipulative. He promised Snape help but has now left him hated by the Order and he provoked Draco to disarm him so the ownership of the wand were unknown she wasn't sad, he'd been dying for a long time now.
Harry passed by going straight to the old man's body, she knew he was closer to him, he had always been very trusting. She watched him pick something off the ground and she titled her head, must be the replica.
One by one people raised their wands casting a soft Lumos charm, it was known that the head master used to like incorporating light as a example in his speeches, it was quite poetic actually. She hadn't raised her own wand until Hermione nudged her gently as if Lyra had been lost in thought but she hadn't been, she saw her father and Remus with both their wands up in the air so instead of honouring Dumbledore she raised her wand in honour of all the people who was going to miss him even if she was not one of them.
Harry looked up at her tears flooding down his cheeks and she dropped the spell in exchange of comforting him, he latched onto her the moment she dropped to her knees beside him.
The next passing of days had been odd, even for Lyra who had known his death was coming it hadn't felt real. The head masters portrait had already been brought in and hung in the head office with all the other previous head masters, McGonagall was appointed headmistress which had been a pleasant surprise.
"Do you think he would have done it? Draco?" Hermione asked Harry after he'd told them everything that had happened that night.
"No" Harry answered surprisingly quickly which was news to Lyra, she thought he hated Draco "No, he was lowering his wand. In the end it was Snape, it was always Snape and i did nothing" Harry held something out for Hermione "It's fake, open it"
Lyra bit back the smirk that was trying to raise, she was getting ready to act her arse off, Hermione opened the thing in her hand and began to read "To the Dark Lord, I know you will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real horcrux and intent to destroy it as soon as i can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more. R.A.B' R.A.B?"
"Don't know" Harry shrugged.
"What did you just say?" Lyra asked loudly making her eyes wide.
"R.A.B? It's what this person has signed off with" Hermione held up the small note, Lyra sprung to her feet and took it reading it over quietly.
"Do you know them because whoever they are have the real horcrux" Harry asked watching her closely.
"I know who R.A.B is, problem is my uncle is dead" she frowned looking at him.
Ron walked closer from where he had been sitting "Uncle?"
"Regulus Arcturus Black, R.A.B."
"Great" Harry huffed "That means it was all a waste...All of it"
"Can i see that" Lyra ignored his wallowing as she held her hand out to Hermione who dropped the locket into her hand "This is it? This is exactly what it would look like?"
"Yes, exactly" Hermione nodded "It's the locket of Slytherin, i've read about it"
"I'm not coming back" Harry stated looking out over the railing of the Astronomy tower "I've got to finish what Dumbledore started and i don't know where they will lead me but i will let you three know where i am when i can"
"I've always admired your courage Harry" Hermione smiled "But sometimes you can be really thick"
Lyra giggled "And melodramatic"
Hermione nodded laughing slightly as she faced Harry once more "You don't really think you're going to be able to find all those horcruxes by yourself, you need us Harry" This was a sticky situation she'd found herself in but she grimaced slightly too visibly and Hermione saw it "What? What's wrong?"
"I...I have something to confess"
"Great" Ron rolled his eyes taking a deep breath "I know about you and my brother"
"What? No! Me and Charlie broke whatever that was off, he doesn't want children"
"Oh god, are you alright?" Hermione frowned while Ron just stared at her wide eyed.
"You broke it off with Charlie?" Harry reiterated as if he had water in his ears and she nodded.
"Well he technically broke it off with me"
Hermione frowned "Wait you want children?"
"Well not right now!" Lyra threw her hands up "Now that that awkwardness is over with may i continue?" all three of her friends nodded "Okay great! I...I have been collecting cursed artefacts"
"Because that worked out well for us before" Ron scoffed and she shot him a glare.
"Actually i think it did, i found this in Grimmauld Place" she held up the locket letting it swing in the air "I then found two other pieces which felt similarly cursed so i stole them and i've been trying to destroy them but haven't been able to"
"Wait...You have this locket, the real one?" Harry stared at her in disbelief.
"Yes, if the others are what i think they are then i think i have three horcruxes...And i think we've already destroyed one"
Harry reached forward grabbing her shoulders "You are absolutely brilliant Lyra! Tom Riddle's diary! Dumbledore said it was a horcrux but he didn't have it"
"That's because i do, it's with the others"
"Dumbledore destroyed another, a ring, it was a gold ring with a black stone, it had an inscription on the stone like a triangle thing" Harry described the ring quickly like he was in a rush.
Lyra nodded "It sounds like the Gaunt heirloom...How did he destroy it?"
"He didn't say"
"Why do we always ignore that Lyra has dark artefacts?" Ron looked disturbed and Hermione pinched his arm making him yelp.
"Because she's our friends and we trust her" Hermione glared and Ron held his hands up.
"Would you do the same if I had cursed artefacts?"
"No" Harry, Lyra and Hermione all spoke at once making Ron huff and then proceed to sulk.
"So that leaves two horcruxes?" Lyra faced Harry who nodded.
"Dumbledore mentioned seven, we destroyed one, Dumbledore destroyed one, Lyra has possibly three...We just have to figure out what the last two are..."
"Sounds like hours of research, fun" Ron crossed his arms as they all turned hearing Dumbledore's phoenix in the distance.
~~~
Rufus Scrimgeour was appointed as Minister from the elections and Lyra wouldn't lie she felt for the man, he had a lot of mess to try to clean up from Fudge and not enough time, if he had been given time she thought he could have actually been a pretty decent Minister but alas it never worked that way.
Lyra had gone with Sirius and Harry to tell the Dursleys they had to leave to protect themselves, after a bit of bribing it wasn't hard to get them packing, she knew what Hermione was going to do so she told them she'd meet them back at home before she left to give her best friend some strength. Lyra had been able to take her apparition test towards the end of sixth year thankful and had passed meaning it wouldn't all be down to Hermione.
She knocked on the door and Mr Granger was the one to answer "Lyra dear! What a brilliant surprise! Come in, come in, you're just in time for tea" he grinned leading her into the house.
"Lyra sweetheart, how are you?" Mrs Granger grinned coming over to hug her tightly.
"I'm fine Mrs Granger, is Hermione here?"
"Just upstairs dear and what did i tell you about calling me Mrs Granger"
"Sorry" Lyra grinned as she ran up the steps to Hermione's room, she knocked and opened the door to see Hermione stood in the middle of it looking around.
"What are you doing here!" Hermione gasped looking horrified.
"I know Mi, i know what you're going to do and i thought you could use some strength" Lyra whispered and the second she said it Hermione broke down into tears.
"They're going to hate me"
"No they won't" Lyra cupped Hermione face "They might be angry but they will be alive, do you understand?"
Hermione nodded "Thank you, for being here i didn't think i was going to be able to do it"
"You would have done just fine Mi because you are the strongest person i know but luckily you don't need to do it alone"
"Girls! Tea is ready!" Mrs Granger called up the stairs happily.
"Coming Mum" Hermione called back wiping the tears off her face "I need to be the one to do it" Lyra nodded taking Hermione's hand and the pair walked down the steps, when they crept into the living room the couple remained unknowing as Hermione raised her wand, Lyra squeezed her other hand in comfort.
"Obliviate" Hermione whispered, Lyra watched in horror as the photos of Hermione started to disappear leaving some blank or some holding wither Granger with a noticeable gap beside them, her heart panged when she caught sight of a photo of Lyra and Hermione laughing with Mrs Granger at the café table, both Lyra and Hermione disappeared from the photo because without Hermione there was no Lyra.
~~~
Grimmauld place had been compromised, too many people know of it's whereabouts, too many memories, the wards had been weakened in the effort to allow as many people in on Dumbledore's orders. They had planned to do the seven potters there but Lyra had point blank refused, no one could change her mind, she had told them it was her families house, the wards were older then most of them and could be strengthened so they had to switch up.
They were to use Privet Drive to hide Harry until everything was sorted and Lyra strengthened the Grimmauld's wards by adding to the blood wards that had grown weak, it would leave it open for if they needed an escape like the trio had before.
They had all gathered at Privet Drive, Hagrid knocked on the door and Harry opened it, he'd been staying there for the passed four days with Sirius as they waited "Hello! You're looking fit" Hagrid grinned as Ron ran forward to hug Harry, Hermione followed shortly after kissing his cheek and Lyra was the last out of the three to hug Harry.
"Yeah, he's absolutely gorgeous" Moody barged past "What say we get undercover before someone murders him?" the others were quick to join, Fleur left Bill's side to hug Lyra tightly not having been given the chance to do it before hand. Fleur had finally started to get along better with the Weasleys, it was just a shame it had to take Bill getting scarred for it to happen.
Tonks entered with Remus, a surprising relationship indeed, the pair had gotten married on the sly because of the war and Sirius had been livid to have not been invited but he loved to rip into Remus for how old Tonks was "Wait until you hear the news" Tonks grinned "Remus and I--"
"We'll have time to cozy up chat later" Moody cut her off sharply "We've got to get the hell out of here and soon...Potter you are underage which means you still have the trace on you"
"On my wand"
"Aye, which means we need to use ways of transport that the trace can't detect: Brooms, thestrals and the like" Moody nodded "We go in pairs, that way if anyone's out there waiting for us and i reckon there will be, they won't know which Harry potter is the real one"
"The real one?" Harry questioned frowning.
"I believe you are familiar with this particular brew" Moody smirked popping open the lid to the flask.
"No! Absolutely not"
"We told you he'd take it well" Hermione cocked a brow at Moody while Lyra rolled her eyes at how dramatic Harry could be sometimes.
"No! If you think i'm going to let everyone risk their lives for me--I--"
"Never done that before have we?" Ron smirked.
"No! No this is different, I mean taking that, becoming me, no" Harry snapped.
"Well none of us really fancy it mate" George joked bouncing his brows.
"Yeah, imagine if something went wrong and we ended up a scrawny, specky git forever" Fred added and Lyra giggle.
"He's not scrawny"
"Oh, would you know Lyra?" George asked and she threw him a glare.
Moody interrupted before they could stray any further "Everyone here is of age Potter, they've all agreed to take the risk"
A throat clearing drew their attention "Technically i've been coerced" Mundungus pointed out.
"Fuck off then" Lyra snapped knowing what was to come turning to face the man who was going to get one of them killed.
"Enough!" Moody scolded them but she didn't turn around, she didn't answer to Moody, she wasn't an Auror "Alright Granger, as discussed" Hermione moved forward ripping hairs out of Harry's head roughly making Harry curse her under his breath "Straight in here if you please" Moody grinned as the potion bubbled "For yous who haven't taken Polyjuice potion before, fair warning, it tastes like Goblin piss"
"Have a lot of experiences with that do you Mad eye" Fred joked but no one laughed "Just trying to diffuse the tension" it was passed around and when it became her turn Lyra sighed and finished the potion off grimacing as it did in fact taste like hot piss.
"Argh, fucking hell" she cursed wiping her mouth but froze when she shot up a good few inches, her curls straighten out and shrunk.
"Wow! We're identical!" the twins grinned.
"Not yet you're not" Moody pointed to the bag he'd thrown down when they entered and inside was eight of the same outfits.
Harry was told to change as well and he moved further into the room "Lyra?" he spoke to one of the twins.
"No Harry, she's over there" Hermione pointed to one of the Harrys who was about to strip and Harry ran over.
"Lyra!"
"What?" it was odd seeing himself looking back at him with her voice.
"Don't, you know...Don't--"
"Peep? Harry, i have your cock between my legs right now, i don't need to peep" she cackled and watched as he went bright red, he turned his back to her and refused to look into that corner for the rest of the night...That was until.
"Wow, Blue looks good on you Harry" One of the twins voices called out.
"Oi! No peaking!" Lyra called back and without meaning too he turning and saw her lace blue bra that looked odd against his flat chest, the cups were completely empty but his mind worked overtime to fix the picture in front of him and he turned back around quickly.
"That's my daughter you're leering at" Sirius sneered moving his body to cover Lyra.
"Technically it's your godson" George winked back.
"Right then, we'll be pairing off. Each Potter will have a protector, Mundungus stick tight to me i want to keep an eye on you...As for Harry"
The room echoed "Yes?"
"The real Harry, where the devil are you anyway?"
"Here"
"You'll ride with Hagrid" Moody nodded.
Hagrid walked forward "I brought you here sixteen years ago when you were no bigger then a bowtruckle seems only right that i should be the one to take you away now"
"Yes, it's all very touching, let's go!" Moody snapped but Lyra caught his arm as he passed, she leant upwards whispering into his ear quietly so no one could hear her, when she pulled away he looked shocked but nodded "Understood"
"Kreacher" Lyra called out when she saw Harry moving towards Hedwig.
"Yes Mis--What?" the elf looked bamboozled as instead of his Mistress he saw Harry Potter looking back at him, the way the boy held himself screamed Lyra, in fact he didn't think he'd seen the halfblood stand so upright in his life.
"I will explain later i swear, can you please take Hedwig to the Burrow, it's very important that you go now"
"Of course" Kreacher stared at her is disbelief but took the bird cage and disappeared.
"Found you" her father grabbed her hand tightly "You're with me alright baby?"
"Couldn't think of a better protector father" she smiled.
When outside Moody faced everyone "Head for the Burrows, we'll rendezvous there" Lyra straddled her broom while Sirius had Harry's firebolt "On the count of three...One...Two...Three!"
It felt like the second they were in the air they were being attack, Lyra cursed to kill, not that she'd admit it, all her curses were nonverbal and none held the neon green colour that would out her but she did sent quite a few death eaters falling from the sky.
Lyra and Sirius were the two more vicious of the group, the others were dodging, throwing up shields while the father-daughter duo were throwing themselves into the fight, Lyra was body checking the ones who got too close. It had all been going fine until she saw a flash of yellow and then her body seized.
Her broom began to spin as she fell from the sky, she couldn't even breath from the pain, the person who'd thrown the spell hadn't been able to keep it locked on her so it began to fade but the damage had already been done, whoever had thrown it had meant to seriously hurt her, they hated her from the power of that curse.
She was falling too fast and she had unseized but was spasming so bad she couldn't get her arm to pull upwards, however someone grabbed her and forced their decent to slow "I've got you baby, it's okay, i've got you" her fathers horrified whispered reached her ears as he pulled her into his chest and sped off towards the burrows.
~~~
Remus hearing another entering the wards ran out wand raised when he saw Kingsley "Wait!" he threw his arm out at Harry who went to pass him.
Kingsley raised his wand as well "The last words Albus Dumbledore spoke to the pair of us?"
"Harry is the best hope we have, trust him" Remus answered and both men lowered their wands having passed the test, two more people turned up on a thestral, seconds before another pair arrived.
Hermione seeing Tonks and the 'Harry' with her ignored the testing and hugged Ron tightly who chuckled "Thanks?"
"He deserves that!" Tonks smiled after her tested had been done and she hugged Remus "Brilliant he was, I wouldn't be standing here without him"
"Really?"
Ron faced Hermione "Always the tone of surprise" she simply sighed and removed the glasses from his face, Harry rushed towards the pair and hugged them tightly.
"Where's Lyra?" he asked into the hug.
"She should have been back already?" Hermione shook her head looking out to the tall grass.
When another pair entered the wards the trio pulled away expecting to see Lyra but instead it was Fred and Mr Weasley "We the last back? Where's George?" when no one answered Mr Weasley unsure what to say Fred sprinting into the house leaving the others outside.
"Come on Pads...Come on" Remus stood there chanting the same thing over and over as he watched out, Moony was stirring unhappily the more time that passed, they weren't the only one's not back yet either, Moody and Mundungus weren't back. When it grew too much he moved to the house were most of them were waiting "Did anyone see Sirius and Lyra or even Mad-eye and Mundugungus?"
"I saw Mundugungus take one look at Voldemort before he disapperated" Bill shook his head "I saw Mad-eye get hit but i don't know what it was"
A popping at the wards alerted them that someone had entered and they all rushed out and saw Sirius carrying Lyra towards the house Kingsley lifted his wand and Sirius growled "Get that out of my face before i rip you apart!"
Sirius move to walk around them all but Kingsley stopped them "What did i send to Lyra every year after your mother died?" Remus asked quickly.
"Polaroids!" Sirius barked shoving passed the men, he saw one of the Weasley twins laid of one of the sofa's with blood running down the side of the face but he ignored all of that to lay Lyra on the other, it was the blonde Veela who moved first towards them.
"What 'it 'er?" the blonde asked.
"Cruciatus" he whispered and the girl gasped eyes welling when Lyra spasmed slightly, teeth gritted as tight as her eyes were squeezed shut.
"zere is nothing i can do"
Sirius nodded "I know"
"I'm f-fine, he merely worries" Lyra smiled weakly as the pins and needles still thrummed through her body but she really was fine, that was put to the test when Harry, Hermione and Ron all practically dog pilled her trying to hug her, Hermione sobbed and the boys looked no better "I'm fine" she waved them off "Absolutely fine"
~~~
Ron watched Harry slip from the room and he was quick to follow "Going somewhere?" he asked before Harry could get beyond the wards of the Burrow.
"Nobody else is going to die, not for me"
"For you?" Ron scoffed slightly "You think Mad-eye died for you? That George and Lyra took those curses for you? You may be the chosen one mate but this is a whole lot bigger then that, it's always been bigger then that"
"Come with me"
"And leave the girls?" This time Ron scoffed loudly "Are you mad! We wouldn't last a week without Lyra and we defiantly wouldn't last two days without Hermione, without both we'd find a way to be killed in an hour or so...Don't tell them i said that" Harry shook his head "Besides, you still have the trace on you, we've still got the wedding"
"Look i don't care about a wedding, i'm sorry no matter who's it is i have to start finding the rest of the horcruxes. They're our only chance to beat him and the longer we stay here the stronger he gets" Harry narrowed his eyes.
But Ron just shook his head "Tonight's not the night mate, we'd only be doing him a favour" Harry was silent for a while before he dropped the hastily packed bag off his bag and Ron picked it up to make sure Harry wouldn't leave. After a small break of silence Harry turned to face Ron and they started walking back towards the Burrow "Do you think he knows? I mean, they're bits of his soul, these horcruxes, bits of him. When Dumbledore destroyed the ring, you and Lyra destroyed Tom Riddles diary, he must have felt something but to kill the other horcruxes we have to find them, where are they? Where do we start?"
~~~
"All together now! One...Two...Three" Arthur shouted and Lyra grinned widely lifted the tent with the others, her father nudged her gently casting her a happy grin "How's it looking your end boys?"
"Brilliant" both twins called back just as someone entered the wards "Bloody hell what's the Minister of Magic doing here?" George whispered seeing who it was, Ron was called into the house but Lyra hadn't been needed so she stayed outside helping prepare for the wedding.
She was gladdened that she hadn't had to go and pretend to mourn someone who left her something, she didn't need a deluminator or a book, didn't need a snitch either she had everything she needed in the bag that was shrunken and attached to a bracelet on her wrist.
She wouldn't trust anything the old man gave her anyway, he'd probably find a way to manipulate her from the grave.