Three's a Crowd
“Well, my life was perfectly fine until my brother started at Hogwarts. That’s when things began to…decline.” Lyra said, choosing her words carefully. “Suddenly we’d receive letters from Harry filled with him ranting on and on about how much people loved him. Sure, at first he was a little uncomfortable with the whole idea of fame, but after a while, he grew accustomed to it.”
“My parents were always sure to not let my brother’s fame get into my head. They alway made sure we lived in a normal sized house–only two rooms since Harry only lived with us over the summer, and they’d decline all money that people tried to send us.” She let out a dry laugh. “Honestly, I grew up poor. My parents were always trying to make ends meet, but keep me happy at the same time.”
“Oh, from what my older sister has said, your brother makes you guys seem rich. I mean, he acts like you live in a mansion and have butlers to care for your every need.” Callie said.
Lyra shook her head. “Nope. The only butlers we had were ourselves. What about you, what’s your life like?”
“Interesting. I have an older sister named Bella and we usually get along well. She’s a third year now and dating a girl named Maggie. My dad’s a lawyer and my mom’s stay-at-home so my life is pretty routined. The only downside to it is I’m alone most of the time. Sure I have my mom, but she’s always cleaning and bending to my father’s every whim. My parents never had time for me. But I always had my sister, until she left that is.”
“Wow, that life sounds real pathetic.” Lyra said, with a frown.
“Sure is. Your life ever suck?”
“Often. My parents have a good relationship, though sometimes I feel like something’s off. Not between them but with them. I found a letter on my parent’s nightstand and I stole it. Still haven’t read it. Everytime I almost do, I feel this weird feeling in my stomach.”
“Guilt?” Callie asked.
“I–I don’t know. Usually I don’t feel guilt. I’ve pickpocketed things like money and diamonds before, but I’ve never actually felt bad about it.”
“Have you ever stolen from your parents before?”
“Well, no.”
“There’s your answer then. You feel bad because you know who you’re stealing from.”
“I guess so…” Lyra admitted.
“There’s no guessing about it.” Callie said. “I mean, once I stole a cookie from my grandmother and never told her. I still feel bad about it to this day.”
Lyra had never thought about stealing that way. Sure, Callie’s example of guilt was pathetic, however, it did explain the twist in her stomach every time she looked at her parents, and the nights she had laid awake, wondering if she should’ve taken the letter.
The envelope had looked important, sleek and thin, with cursive writing on the back, addressing it to her parents. Who it was from was a mystery. What it was about was a mystery. If she should’ve even touched it was a mystery.
Instead of agreeing with Callie, Lyra crossed her arms and smirked. “Stealing cookies is nothing. I’m surprised you felt anything except pride. Stealing is a good life skill.”
Callie snorted. “Who told you that? A depressed teenage boy?”
Lyra thought back to when her older cousin, Teddy Lupin, had given her that advice. “Actually, yeah. A depressed teenage boy did tell me that.” she said.
Callie did a double take, clearly not expecting Lyra to say that. “Really?”
“Yes. You were the one who said it sounded like that. I merely furthered the truth of your point by giving an example.”
“That last part sounded so nerdy.” Callie giggled.
Lyra huffed. It did not. Nothing about her was nerdy. “Sure it did.” she muttered.
The door of the compartment slid open and a first-year boy popped his head in the cart, and looked around. “Can I stay ‘ere for a bit? My brother and his friends are being total bitches.”
“Of course you can. We both have bitch older siblings.” said Callie.
“And a bitch younger sister.” added Lyra.
Callie’s jaw dropped. “You have a little sister?”
“Yes?”
“We will follow up on that later.” said the other girl, turning back to the boy. “You can join us.”
“Thanks,” said the boy, stepping into the compartment.
He was good-looking for his age, a bit taller than most of the boys at Lyra’s primary school. He had short black hair that curled around his ears and tawny skin with a light sprinkling of freckles on his cheeks. The only thing off about the boy was the blood covering his robes and face, ruining what would’ve been quite attractive.
Lyra tilted her head. “What happened there?” she asked, gesturing at the bloody mess.
The boy looked at his robes and sighed. “It’s not mine. Well, most of it, at least.” he said, sitting down next to Callie, who scooted away, not wanting to get blood on her perfect and smooth robes.
“That’s not an answer,” said Lyra.
A smirk crossed his face. “But do I want to give you an answer?”
“Fair.” she said with a sigh, leaning against the wall. “What’s your name?”
“Navin Gallensberg. What about yours, ladies?”
“I’m Lyra, and that’s Callie.”
Callie offered an awkward wave. “Hi.”
Navin draped an arm over her shoulder. “Hey.”
Callie shot Lyra a pleading look, and it took everything in her to not laugh. “Looks like you two are gonna have quite a fun year.” she said.
“Indeed.” agreed Callie through gritted teeth.
“Lovely. I’ve always wanted a group of pretty ladies to be friends with.” Navin said brightly. “How long do you think it’ll be until we’re there?”
“Four hours at minimum,” said Callie, folding her hands in her lap.
Navin’s cocky grin faded, replaced by a frown. “Well, this is just going to be fun, innit?”
“Yes. I’ve always wanted to enjoy the scenery.” Callie said brightly. “My sister says that everytime she looks out the window, the world just seems to get more beautiful.”
Lyra laughed. “I doubt that.”
“Why?”
“The world isn’t very beautiful.”
“Ah, looks like we’ve got a bit of a pessimist on our hands, now do we?” said Navin with a grin.
“Not a pessimist, a realist. The world isn’t beautiful, fact.”
“Liar. The Taj Mahal is pretty.” Navin quipped.
“Besides the Taj Mahal, the world isn’t pretty.” Lyra said, feeling slightly irritated at the boy’s point.
“My mum’s garden is pretty.” Callie added. “So is the park next to my house. Absolutely breathtaking.”
Lyra huffed. “Okay,” she said, “some places are decent looking.”
“Glad you admitted that.” Navin said, leaning forward, to pat her shoulder. “By the way, I feel that I should warn you of something.”
“Warn me of what, exactly?”
“No matter what, even if we’re sorted into different houses, you won’t be able to get rid of me. I’ll follow you around like a strange wart.”
Lyra’s nose scrunched. “Did you just compare yourself to a wart of all things?”
“A wart was the first thing I thought of, mkay?”
Lyra rolled her eyes. “I cannot wait for these next seven years.”
Navin linked arms with Callie, who looked highly uncomfortable. “With us, you mean. You cannot wait for these next seven years with us.”
“Yes. With you two.”
“Your favorite people.” said Navin, batting his eyelashes.
Lyra chuckled. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“You will by the end of this year, trust me.”
Oddly enough, she did.