Chapter 3
"Honestly, it's revolting. Forcing you to tutor him? Slughorn has to know we'd rather not waste our time on someone like that—unless it's to cause a bit of harm, naturally."
Lyra listened to Barty’s ranting, a book propped up on her knees. The boy was pacing up and down, probably itching to cast a nasty jinx on an unsuspecting mudblood. She usually didn’t mind his lengthy speeches, knowing the boy barely got to talk at home, but she was very overstimulated.
She glanced over at Regulus, who was too busy reading his own book.
Barty continued, “Being around them is bad enough, but to help them? It’s beneath us! They don’t belong here. If it were up to me, I’d just let him fail.”
“Slughorn is grading me on it.” Lyra sighed, finally giving up and shutting her book. “If he fails, I fail.”
“It has to be about house unity again. Or student unity- whatever the old fucker goes on about. Why else would he pick you to tutor him?” Barty said, finally settling down onto the couch.
“They are getting scared. Good.” Regulus commented, barely lifting his gaze up.
Lyra stared at her twin, “What do you mean?”
Regulus’s eyes darkened, “They’re trying to make us believe we’re all on the same side, that blood and loyalty don’t matter. But we know better. They’re scared, Lyra, because they’re losing control, and this pathetic attempt to force us together is their last ditch effort to pretend everything’s fine.”
Lyra hummed in response, gliding her finger down the spine of her book. She supposed it made sense. Force the pureblooded folk to mingle with those lesser than them, and hope they see some sort of humanity and compassion. A fools dream, she thought.
However, she never put too much thought into stuff like that. Blood and what not. That was Regulus’s job, as the heir. Not hers. The only expectation for her was to at least find a decent pureblooded wizard to marry.
“And of course they chose the blood traitors friend.”
Lyra tried not to feel the sting those words left on her heart, tried to ignore the way they carelessly tainted her brothers name with cruel words. The effect of Sirius’s abandonment had never passed for her, not like it did with Regulus.
“I’ve got to get to the library.” Lyra murmured, gathering up her bag.
“Do try and cast another jinx his way again, yeah?” Barty said, a wide smirk plastered on his face.
She replied with a half hearted smile.
She made her way out of the common room, a slight chill running up her spine. The dungeons were always freezing, even if the weather outside was warm.
Lyra wasn’t quite sure why she agreed to tutor Lupin. She could have said no, when Slughorn asked, tell him that her schedule was too busy to fit him in.
But of course, she’s lying to herself. She knows exactly why she accepted. And it had to do with one of his friends.
Another fools dream. Sirius wouldn’t try talking to her even if she was tutoring one of his new found brothers.
The bitterness inside of her multiplied, wrapping around her lungs and constricting them until it was only the emotion she could breathe. She wondered if she would feel anything else ever again.
The library was mostly empty, save for a few Ravenclaws loitering about. She walked to the farther back corner, taking a seat at an empty table. Away from prying eyes.
After taking out all of her stuff, Lyra watched the door. Then the clock. And then at five minutes past seven, four boys had strolled in.
She resisted the urge to get up and leave. He was late again, and he brought his entourage.
“Sorry.” Remus murmured as he slid in the seat across from her, the same word she had heard last time.
Lyra said nothing, trying not to look at the table to her left where the three other boys had settled in. Was Lupin nervous to be alone with her? Or were they here to taunt her?
“Did you bring your cauldron?” She asked with a forced calm.
Remus nodded and she tried not to think that every laugh she heard in her left ear was directed at her.
“Okay.” Lyra breathed out, pulling out the same copy of Book of Potions.
“We will be doing the Wiggenweld Potion today.”
Remus nodded and she continued, her nails digging deeper into her palm as his friends laughed louder. Sirius laughing the loudest of them all.
“It’s a healing potion. It isn’t used as quite frequently due to people relying more heavily on healing charms nowadays, but it’s still useful.”
Remus smiled lazily at his friends before turning back to her, “Right … we learned this, what, third year?”
Lyra hummed a response, “Yes. It can only heal minor injuries and-“
“-is the antidote to the Draught of Living Death.”
Lyra glanced up, noticing Evan Rosier making his ways towards her. He spared a glare at the Gryffindors before turning his gaze back to her table.
Evan smirked at Remus, “Sweet of Lyra to help the filth, don’t you think?”
“Lay off Rosier.” Potter said, now standing up.
Evan waved a hand that was holding what seemed to be a letter, chuckling to himself. He leaned down, slipping the envelope in front of Lyra. “Arrived for you right after you left the common room.”
She noticed the Black family crest right away, blinking a couple times. Her parents never sent her letters when she was at Hogwarts. Regulus usually wrote for the both of them.
“Merci.” She mumbled, ignoring the way he squeezed her arm. Evan was in the year above her, but the Slytherins ran in tight circles. She was close friends with his younger sister as well.
Evan set off, but not before roughly bumping into Remus’s chair. The four boys clutched their wands, but he was already halfway out of the library and Madame Pince was always looking for a reason to kick them out.
She could feel their four gazes burning into her face as she slowly tucked the letter inside of her bag. She would open it later.
Lyra pushed the Potions book towards Remus, “Follow the recipe.”
After she supplied him with the ingredients, she fell silent.
Lyra couldn’t think of anything wrong she had done to earn a letter from her parents. Most likely her mother, seeing as her father didn’t meddle too much in his children’s affairs. She picked at the lint on her robes, blankly staring at the table in front of her.
She didn’t notice Sirius staring at the way she dug her nails into her palms.
Lyra was too anxious to be sitting here with that unopened letter. It must be serious, no? Why else would she send it during nighttime, and to her? And not Regulus?
“Um, Black?”
Lyra glanced up, wondering why Remus was looking at her with slight concern.
“You can show me the finished product on Tuesday.” She said, standing up and gathering her bag.
“But- it hasn’t been a hour?” Remus replied, sharing a glance with Sirius.
She gritted her teeth, “I don’t have time tonight.”
Lyra left without another word, hastily making her ways towards the dungeons. She ignored Severus’s pointed stare, pushing past him as she waited for the brick wall to transform into a door.
She was glad the common room was empty of any familiar faces, not wanting to talk to anyone before she figured out what was in this letter.
As she made it to her dorm room, she flopped into her bed and pulled the curtains shut, muttering a small silencing charm.
Lyra opened the letter with shaky hands.
Lyra Lysandra Black,
Regulus had made me aware of your plans with the Rosiers regarding Christmas break. There will be no need for that, as your father and I would like for you to return home as we will be hosting very important guests during this time. I expect you to be on your best behavior as well, as these guests are very influential.
That being said, Evan Rosier would be a nice addition to the family. You could use your connections to his younger sister to get closer to him. A wedding right after you graduate would be most appropriate. It was shameful that Bellatrix had waited a couple of years, yes?
Our family has had enough shame.
We must keep our blood pure. I do hope you remind those lesser than us of their place. And remind those of us who decided to betray their own kind that they are no better than a mudblood.
Toujours Pur.
Mother.