Harry Potter Collection

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One winter morning, she was sitting at the Slytherin table, silently eating her dinner alone, and Pandora had gone home for Christmas. She didn't have a lot of friends, only Pandora Moonstone, who was in Ravenclaw. Lyra was shunned by her classmates for being friends with a "mudblood" and was deemed the "Black Blood Traitor". An owl silently flew through the open windows at one end of the Great Hall, and she looked up as it landed in front of her. It was her parents' owl. She broke the seal and turned pale. No, this cannot be happening! She shook her head frantically, pinching herself. Lyra was definitely not going to be engaged to Rabastan Lestrange. She abandoned her breakfast, running absently towards an empty corridor, and huddled into an alcove, sobbing. She knew her fate was tied since she got into Slytherin, unlike her big brother Sirius. Sirius got into Gryffindor, and Lyra was afraid. She was afraid she would be disowned and punished like Sirius. She wanted to be in Gryffindor, but she knew she couldn't, and begged for the Sorting Hat to place her with Regulus. No, I am not going to be married to Lestrange! And this was how Minerva McGonagall found her. The transfiguration professor had been patrolling in her cat form as usual, as it was already past curfew. Lyra sniffled from her spot in the alcove, upset that her parents had already put her into an arranged marriage without asking her first.

Mrrow~ Lyra looked up, and saw a grey fluff of fur rubbing its head against her leg. It was a grey tabby cat with greyish emerald eyes. It stared doe-eyed at her, and she smiled weakly. "Hello, kitten. I know I don't look my best."

The tabby cat meowed again, trying to clamber up into Lyra's lap. "There isn't enough space for the two of us—oh, alright." Lyra sighed, moving herself so the cat could settle itself down. "Are you a female or male?" She asked, looking down at the cat, rubbing its ears. Mrroww~ "I'm guessing that you're a female then, kitten." The cat murred once more and purred as Lyra rubbed her head gently. "You're enjoying my massage, aren't you, dear?" She smiled weakly at the tabby. She sighed. "Do you mind if I complain to you, kitten?" The cat purred, and flipped itself onto her belly so Lyra could scratch her. And so Lyra spoke to the cat in a low voice, telling her about the arranged marriage with Lestrange, her horrible home, how Sirius abandoned Regulus and her alone as he ran off to James Potter. "I wanted to be in Gryffindor." Lyra sniffed sadly, hugging the tabby close for comfort. I wanted to be with Sirius. I wanted to leave...but I couldn't leave Regulus alone in Slytherin. They were both my brothers; Regulus my twin, but Sirius had the Gryffindors. He was brave, I wasn't. I asked the hat to be in Slytherin so I could be with Reggie..he needed a friend. Then Sirius left, leaving the two of us with my horrible mother...our parents hurt us, you know? The cruciatus curse and the cutting hexes..We're both in danger now since he left...Especially Reggie's the only heir now, he most likely wouldn't survive, and I'll be left alone with my parents— I'm going to marry Lestrange, of all people." Lyra trailed off as the cat leapt out of her lap. "Where're you going, kitty?" She asked, as the tabby cat turned her back to Lyra. "Don't leave me too..." But the cat ignored her plea. "Please..." Lyra gave a dry sob as the tabby padded away. Why did everyone abandon her? Was she that hateful and unloveable?

Professor McGonagall was horrified. Nobody deserved to be treated like that, death eater or not. And Lyra Black wasn't one — in fact, she desperately needed help. And how dare Sirius abandon her? Didn't he know that they were abused, not only him? Minerva was definitely not happy. Fuming, she scurried (in cat form) back out into an empty corridor, and transformed; then went back towards Lyra.

"Miss Black." Lyra heard.

The voice was vaguely familiar, and quite stern. Lyra swiped her palm against her eyes and looked up at Professor McGonagall, who stood tall with her hands folded in front of her, looking at her through her spectacles.

"Professor McGonagall, I was just leaving." Lyra said, her voice devoid of emotion even though her tell-tale eyes were rimmed red. "Where did you— oh." how could I be so stupid? "You're an animagi." She said flatly.

"Miss Black." Professor McGonagall repeated, her heels clicking on the stone as she stepped closer.

"You didn't hear anything." Lyra said sharply, her cold pure-blood mask back on, sneering slightly. "My words were not meant for your ears, cat or not."

Professor McGonagall didn't react to Lyra's rudeness, her eyes softened instead. Lyra knew that look was reserved for her lions, especially her brother and his cronies.

"Do you need help?" she asked softly, coming closer.

"What did you say?" Lyra snapped, scowling. This wasn't right.

"Your brother Sirius ran away from home last summer." Professor McGonagall reminded, "No one knows what really happened that day but he had a new scar. You can see it properly as he never buttons his clothes properly." Her tone was slightly annoyed.

Lyra blinked, confused. What was the Head of Gryffindor implying? She felt like a fish out of water, uncomfortable and unsure of what to do.

"Do you and your other brother Regulus have similar scars?" Professor McGonagall said gently, but Lyra knew what she meant. Do they hurt you two? Are the pair of you their new targets?

She opens her mouth to confirm her statement, but closed it abruptly. What was her intention? Lyra didn't know how to react. This wasn't supposed to happen — how careless could she be to forget their transfiguration professor was a cat animagi, even more so for not recognising the square spectacle markings around her eyes.

After a long pause, Professor McGonagall hitched her shoulders and let them fall in a silent sigh. "Miss Black, why do you believe that you and your twin's life is in danger?"

"I do not." Lyra shook her head.

Professor McGonagall scoffed, "You said that the pair of you wouldn't survive what?"

"Nothing, ignore what I said," Lyra begged, her eyes widening. No, no one should know.

"Miss Black—"

"Why were you even patrolling as a cat? It's very undignified to allow people to pet you," she spat, trying to get her attention off him.

"Some people prefer the company of creatures over humans," Professor McGonagall replied, her tone giving away no hint of judging her.

Lyra shut her mouth. She caught her.

"Miss Black, if you are having trouble at home or being pressured into doing things you do not wish," Professor McGonagall started, being extra careful to avoid naming anything, "you do not have to return. Same goes for your brother."

Lyra laughed. A hollow, cruel sound emitted out of her mouth. "Of course we have to go back," she sneered, "we have nowhere else to go. Regulus is the Black heir, and I am already betrothed."

McGonagall arches a brow. "You cannot join your brother at the Potters?"

"Of course not!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." Sirius didn't care about the pair of them, he only cared about Gryffindors. He ignored his family, and even if Lyra and Regulus loved him, they could never follow him.

"How about your other friends? Pandora Moonstone? Would her family take the pair of you in?

"No, I will not endanger my friend!" Lyra snapped, angry that Professor McGonagall would suggest something like that. "Forgive me for being blunt again, Professor, but you're the Head of Gryffindor and Regulus and I are Slytherin. Why do you care?" Lyra was getting more and more confused and frustrated. Why does her she care at all? Isn't she supposed to care for her lions only?

Professor McGonagall fell silent, a hurt look on her face. When she didn't answer, she snorted. Of course, this was a trap. Lyra turned, but before she could take a step, the transfiguration Professor's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"When I first taught here, I had a student in my class. She was sorted into Slytherin, and was a prodigy in transfiguration." Lyra turned around, looking at Professor McGonagall, slightly alarmed. Her posture was the same, but her demeanour was different — she looked defeated, afraid, and upset, even.

"I'm certain that she would have earned her mastery. I was planning to tutor her on becoming an animagi, but she was killed. In her fifth year, I found out that her parents abused her, and even though she was born in a pure-blood family, she died because her father cursed her too many times. She was betrothed at fifteen to someone she hated, just like you. She told me she was going to fight for her right to marry who she wished or just run away. I—" Professor McGonagall paused, pain flitting across her face. Understanding dawned on Lyra's face.

"I never saw her again. Her parents said it was an accident, but we all know..." she trailed off, shaking her head.

Lyra nodded, the phantom pain of the weekly cruciatus curse swept over.

"So, Miss Black, if you really think that you and your brother going home will end in your death, I cannot allow you to return." McGonagall said firmly, not allowing her space to argue.

All Lyra could do was to stare at her transfiguration professor as something warm and small fought to bloom inside her.

"Did you tell Reggie and Sirius this?" Lyra asked.

"No, all Sirius needed was encouragement to leave, and I trust you to tell Regulus."

So she had encouraged Sirius to leave them. How dare she! Had she no shame in admitting that she encouraged her brother to abandon his family?

Lyra took a deep breath, calming herself. It wasn't all her fault, she was only looking out for her Gryffindors. "We've got nowhere else to go," Lyra sighed. "We've got to go home."

"What of the other Slytherins?"

Lyra scoffed again, and shook her head. "They're either the Dark Lord's followers or supporters of him. They'll return us in hours. No, they won't take us in."

Professor McGonagall nodded, her eyes having a faraway look as if deep in thought. "What about Professor Dumbledore? Have you thought about asking him for a safe house just until you both come of age?"

Lyra snorted. "He would never help us. He didn't help Sirius," She continued, seeing McGonagall's confused face, "Dumbledore favours Gryffindors, it's a fact, no an opinion. He would always side with Gryffindors, regardless of what happened."

Lyra watched as McGonagall grimaced slightly, her expression letting Lyra know that she didn't completely disagree with him. "He never offered Sirius a way out. What our parents are like isn't kept a secret, professor, and he did nothing. Our chances of survival doesn't increase if we join the death eaters and become spies for him; in fact our already abysmal chances of living will plummet more."

McGonagall sighed, her hand raising to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"I apologise, I was not aware that Albus would disregard something so important."

Lyra blinked, and shrugged. "You don't have to apologise for him."

"You two can come with me." Professor McGonagall said, ignoring her previous remark.

Lyra blinked again. "What?" I've heard her wrong.

"Come...with you," she repeated, doubting her hearing.

"Yes," she confirmed with a nod.

"You're telling me that Regulus and I can both come and live in your own home to hide?" Lyra clarified.

"Yes. I will not repeat myself, Miss Black." Professor McGonagall smiled slightly, lifting her chin. "I'm here for most of the year, but I have a place in Northern Scotland that can house four or five. There will be room for you and your twin brother."

Lyra stared at her. She would have never guessed that her Gryffindor brother's favourite teacher would offer something to them that she hadn't to Sirius. They were just Slytherins. Why?

Lyra knew why. The story she told laid it out for her to see. She didn't want any of her students to die.

But why me? Why Regulus? The pair of us weren't prodigies in Transfiguration, we both only got Exceeds Expectations on our reports. Lyra and Regulus always stood in Sirius's shadow, as he was always 'better'.

It didn't feel wrong to Lyra. It didn't make her feel sick or anything; it made her feel warm inside, having someone to care about her. Sirius left us behind, and McGonagall didn't give this offer to Sirius, she gave it to us. Me, and my brother. Could they go with her? Would they stay safe?

Lyra knew, through the soft look in her eyes, that if not safe they would be alive. McGonagall's lips, pressed into a line, wasn't the type when she was angry — she was worried. Worried for Lyra. For Regulus. For them.

Professor McGonagall let Lyra mull this offer, standing quietly despite the importance of continuing her nightly patrol. Before she could make up her mind though, a distant bell shook herself back to the present. The gong rang eleven times, and it was almost midnight. The Slytherin girls would be expecting her soon, wanting to spend time with their dorm mate even if Lyra secretly hated them.

Reality crashed onto her, and she paled, standing back slightly. Death was their end no matter what path they took, it seems to the Black twins.

Lyra straightened herself, and put the cool mask back on. Turning back to McGonagall, she bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, Professor, but I must discuss this with my brother. Goodnight."

Lyra fled, hurrying back to the Slytherin Common Room. Her soul, her chest, her whole person felt an unfamiliar warmth. She wanted to take McGonagall's offer; to stay alive and safe with her brother, but she knew she couldn't — the risk was too high.

At least, she knew, that they would die fighting. Fighting for their lives, their beliefs, and against the Dark Lord.

Lyra heard someone calling her. "Lyra! Please, wake up." The voice echoed. Her brain woozy, she vaguely remembered mumbling a "Five more minutes, mother." before drifting away once more, into the depths of her memories.