Chapter 2
Remus was now sprinting through the halls, dodging multiple first years and ghosts on his way to the library. It was five past seven and he had lost track of time while helping his friends prank Aubrey. Poor lad, his head was the now the size of a large balloon.
He was sure the pair would get detention. Him and Peter fled at the first moment, the latter not wanting the same fate as well and the former having lost track of time. It didn’t help that the library was on the first floor.
He saw Severus on the way and narrowly avoided running straight into him. He was sure he heard the boy muttering curses at him. Filthy half-breed was his favorite insult.
He cursed himself, hoping that Lyra wasn’t uptight about being on time. He wanted to get through these tutoring sessions smoothly and wasn’t sure he could pass Potions if they spent the whole session being hostile towards each other. He wasn’t even sure how the girl acted. Was she like her family? Cruel?
Remus shuddered thinking about it, already having heard all about Regulus’s obsession with Voldemort. Did she have a shrine just like her twin did?
Speaking of said twin…
Regulus was outside the doors of the library, leaning on the wall while he conversed with a couple of other Slytherins that Remus didn’t bother remembering the names of. They made eye contact and Regulus scowled, looking him up and down before stepping off the wall.
“You’re late.” Regulus said, his tone cold.
Remus rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “Yeah… um- apologies.”
Regulus’s eyes narrowed, “Lyra shouldn’t have to wait on filth like you. I wouldn’t waste her time again.”
Remus swallowed but didn’t say anything, knowing the hidden meaning behind the words. He wasn’t looking for a fight either, so he pushed past the boy and slipped inside the doors. He scanned his surroundings, spotting the girl in the far back corner of the library. She was sitting formally, like she was getting ready to interview somebody.
It was uncanny really, just how much the family looked alike. Her features were softer and her skin paler, but she still looked so much like Sirius. Her long, curly black hair reminded him of Bellatrix, and he suppressed a shudder. Sirius’s cousin had always freaked him out.
They made eye contact and Lyra pursed her lips, sitting up more if that was even possible. Her hands were clasped in front of her and she had a simple book open.
Well, he shouldn’t make her wait any longer.
Remus made his way over, sliding into the chair across from her. “Sorry.” He mumbled.
“Did you bring your cauldron?” She was surprisingly soft spoken. Remus had expected her tone to be more shrill.
He, in fact, had not brought his cauldron. He muttered a small curse under his breath.
Lyra let out a small breath and grabbed her own cauldron, putting in right in between the both of them. Remus grimaced sheepishly and grabbed out his own worn copy of Advanced Potion Making.
“There’s no need for that.” Lyra said, “We’re starting with something more… simple.”
Remus slowly tucked the book away, watching as she instead gestured to a fresh copy of the Book of Potions. “We will start with making a cure for boils.”
“That’s a first year potion.” Remus stated.
Lyra just looked at him, “I’m aware.”
Remus nodded, the move tight with annoyance. He supposed it was an opportunity to embarrass him. He wasn’t an idiot. He could do first year potions.
“It’s a simple potion really, but could still go terribly bad.” She started, “If done wrong it could melt the cauldron and I really would not enjoy having to buy a new one.”
He nodded.
“Remember to bring your own next time.”
He nodded again.
As she continued to explain the basics of the potion, Remus couldn’t help but study her. Her face remained neutral through out it all and her mannerisms reminded him of Mcgonagall when she decided to be extra stern. He felt like he was twelve again, with the way she spoke to him. As if he was a child who had trouble understanding even the most simple words.
“Crush these fangs into a small powder.” She said, handing him her mortar and pestle. He did as she said, trying to ignore the feeling of her eyes on him. She was… very silent in a creepy way. Seriously, she barely made a sound even when moving around.
“Okay, now add four measures to the cauldron and stir…. clockwise!” Lyra exclaimed, flinching at his sloppy stirring. “Keep the contents inside of the cauldron.”
Remus resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
“Potion making is very precise. You can’t be so harsh with it.” She muttered.
Remus hummed, “Right.”
“Heat to two hundred and fifty for ten seconds and then lower to two hundred.”
Remus did as she said, following all of her instructions that she gave him. He furrowed his brows when he noticed that some of them didn’t match up with the book. Was she trying to sabotage him?
“The book says to slice the Pungous Onions, not dice.” He pointed out.
“Dicing works better.” She stated simply.
“Does it? Or are you trying to make it blow up in my face?”
“It would blow up in my face as well. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re sitting at the same table.”
“Fair point.”
Lyra’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn’t say anything else unless it was to instruct him.
Once he finished, the potion had cooled into a pinkish color.
“It’s acceptable.” Lyra said, grabbing out a small, glass vial.
Remus bristled. “Acceptable? It looks exactly like the one in the book.”
“But does it work?” She asked, and before Remus could reply, she raised her wand and casted a pimple jinx at him.
His hands flew to his face, casting Lyra an incredulous stare. “Are you serious?”
Small pimples now spread across his cheeks and forehead, feeling slightly painful under his touch. He gave the girl another scowl, cursing her under his breath.
“Drink it.” Lyra advised, handing him the vial filled with the cure.
He snatched it out of her hands, and opened the vial with a copious amount of attitude. He threw it back and waited. He swore that if it didn’t work, he would make sure to cast the same jinx on her.
After a short amount of time, his face began to clear. He breathed out a sigh of relief. He wasn’t looking forward to a trip to the hospital wing, wanting to keep his visits as minimal as he could.
“That was very uncalled for.” Remus snapped out, slamming the vial onto the table. It shattered.
Lyra murmured a small reparo and glanced back up at Remus, irritation now clouding her
once blank features. “I wanted to make sure it worked.”
“And you couldn’t have asked?” Snarled Remus, who stood up and grabbed his bag, swinging it over his shoulder.
“I wasn’t aware you cared about people asking permission before casting a jinx. Your friends certainly do it all the time.” She replied coolly, packing her own stuff up.
Remus scoffed, “Merlin…”
Before he could say anymore, Lyra was already halfway across the library, heading for the large doors. He touched his face again, wanting to make sure all of the pimples had cleared. He thanked Godric that they had, and cursed the girl one last time. For good measure.
Once he made it back to the Gryffindor common room, he flung himself onto the couch, knocking into Peter on the way.
“That bad?” The watery-eye boy asked.
Remus mumbled something incoherent, flipping around so that he was now on his back. “Where’s Pads and Prongs?”
“Detention.” Said Peter, settling onto the arm chair. “Well, how was it?”
Remus raked a hand over his face. “Bad, but not.”
Peter just furrowed his brows.
“It was fine. She was helpful or whatever. Just- slightly insufferable.” Remus explained, covering up a yawn.
“Insufferable? But she wasn’t like, cruel or anything?” Peter asked, leaning forward slightly.
“No. Just weird. Maybe a bit uptight. I don’t- I don’t really know how to explain her.”
“She scares me.”
Remus raised a brow.
“Well- I don’t think i’ve ever heard her talk. And then sometimes i’ll spot her somewhere and look away for one second and poof! She bloody disappears!” Peter wrung his hands together, “Plus, Regulus is her twin. I heard he hexed a kid so bad that he ended up in the hospital wing, just because he talked to her!”
“He probably wasn’t of pure blood.” Remus said sarcastically.
“Yeah..”
They sat in silence for a moment as Remus’s thoughts wandered off. Lyra really was strange, but not in a weird way. She seemed to be very closed off, and Peter was right, it was rare to see her around school. And if you did, she usually was gone the next second. But, she wasn’t all that bad. And she didn’t once insult him. Plus, she smelled nice.
“WE ARE FREE!”
Remus jumped up at the yell, his head snapping to James and Sirius as they strutted over to the sofa, wide smirks covering the both of their faces.
“What did you have to do this time?” Asked Remus.
“Clean the trophy room. Typical, really. You think they’d be more clever with their detentions. A little cleaning won’t change my ways.” James said haughtily, causing Lily to glare at him from across the room. “But you could, Lily bug, if you accepted my Hogsmeade date.”
Remus smiled to himself, watching as the Evans girl flushed. Remus knew it was only time before they started dating.
“I heard what you did to Aubrey.” Lily replied, shaking her head in disapproval.
James slightly flinched as Sirius smacked him on the back, flashing the girl a charming smile. “Oh, that was all me. James was just too sweet to let me take the fall all by myself. Right Prongs?”
“Er- right.” James stammered, watching as Lily shook her head again and made her way to the girl dorms.
“She loves you.” Sirius chuckled, throwing himself onto the spot on the sofa right by Remus.
“One hundred percent.” Remus chimed in, watching as James slightly messed his hair up again.