Chapter 23
THAT NIGHT, LYRA FOUND IT HARD TO SLEEP. The words of Voldemort's letter haunted her in his eerily soft, smooth voice and when she finally did enter the realm of Morpheus, she was haunted by a pair of glowing, unnaturally red eyes beckoning her to come deeper into the darkness, causing her to wake up, drenched in sweat.
She got out of her bed and washed her face before sleeping again. Her dream was better this time around. It spoke of a future, a little child with nearly white hair and stormy grey eyes sitting on a dragon that flew against the night sky that had been lit up by the moon and stars.
She found everything beautiful about that boy who could have been no older than four. He was mesmerising and she felt a desire to shower him with kisses and envelope him in a tight hug and protect him from everything cruel in the world. Her dream was perfect, and she never wanted the dream to end.
Unfortunately, her eyebrows furrowed as she felt a nudge. She kicked whatever it was away in her sleep, it must have been Phobos trying to cuddle her again. A moment later she realised that Phobos was in the Planetarium and her hand immediately went to where her wand was under her pillow and pointed it to the direction from where she felt the nudging with pin-point accuracy and non verbally cast a lumos.
In the dim light shone by the tip of her wand, she could make out that her wand was pointed on her father's nose as his eyes were cautiously looking at it before they moved over to her. She retreated her wand.
"Nice reflexes," Orion complimented. "Have you ever considered trying out for the Slytherin seeker position?"
"I find Quidditch boring," Lyra said bluntly, too sleepy to choose her words and too eager to return to that wonderful dream.
"Me too," Orion said before pausing. "Don't let your grandmother Irma here you say that, though. Or the boys."
"Of course father," Lyra said, sitting up on her bed and leaning against the headrest. Flicking her wand with a nonverbal tempus, four digits appeared in golden making her want to groan but that was unladylike, so she settled for glaring at her father. "Father, it's two thirty-seven in the morning. I hope you have a good reason for waking me up, for your sake at least."
Orion grinned, completely ignoring the true threats in his daughter's words. "Come on. Everybody is up and ready to go, you're actually the last one." He told her, getting off the bed and heading towards the door.
Lyra tilted her head. "I'm sorry, go where exactly?"
Orion looked rather offended at her question. "Our annual summer trip, of course."
"This is the first time you're mentioning it to me."
"That's because the idea dawned on me about thirty minutes ago," Orion smiled. "I woke Sirius and Regulus up, healed the wound I received when I woke Walburga up and am thankful that you didn't hex me when I woke you up. So anyway," he clapped his hands like a little child. "Come on, let's go, we have no time to waste. I threw the dart on the world map and the location has been decided."
"Go where, exactly?" Lyra repeated, slowly getting up from her bed and regretting every second of it.
"A trek on Mount Snæfellsjökull," Orion replied. "There is a secret cave in the mountain concealed from the eyes of muggles that I wish to show you all. You have that duelling thing in three days, right? So two days should do it, although it will be a bit of a hassle visiting so many wonderful historically rich places, but if we sacrifice sleep and meals, we should be fine."
Lyra was too tired to argue with her father on the impracticality of his entire plan so she simply nodded, following him out the door before abruptly stopping underneath the archway.
Orion looked at her, confused. "What is it, dear?"
"Clothes," Lyra said. "I need to pack clothes and other necessities."
"Nonsense," Orion said, waving away her words. "We are Blacks, aren't we? We'll just buy some there, truly immerse ourselves in its rich culture."
Lyra mutely nodded again, walking down the stairs to see Sirius, Regulus and her mother in their pyjamas half asleep, excitedly grinning and murderously irritated looks adorning each of them respectively.
Orion brought them their travel robes which they slipped on and was large enough to hide the pyjamas they were wearing. After arranging her hair in a way that would not look like she just rolled out of bed, Lyra took the pinch of floo powder from the container near the fireplace and threw it down, "The Black Condo, Iceland."
"I think we are in the wrong place," Sirius declared before turning to his father. "I mean, isn't Iceland supposed to have like -I don't know- ice? It's literally in the name."
Orion shrugged in answer. "It's early August, so we arrived in the warmer months. But that doesn't mean it's going to not be cold, so make sure you've applied warming charms." He told them instead.
Walburga glared at her husband. "Orion, you know I'm not interested in history. Never was, never have been and never will be. So you lot go ahead and I'll stay behind in the condo."
"I volunteer to stay with mum!" Lyra said immediately. Sleep had come slow to her the previous day with her thoughts surrounding Voldemort's letter and she dearly wanted to catch up.
Orion waved their words away. "Nonsense," he said, turning to his wife. "Walburga love, passions aren't engraved in rock, it changes over time. I'm sure if you immersed yourself in history, you will grow to love it almost as much as I. Besides, you currently not liking it only confirms that you need to go on this trek with us. Experience the beauty for yourself. And Lyra," he turned to his daughter. "You're coming. End of discussion."
"What discussion?" Lyra grumbled. "This is the start of a dictatorship, honestly!"
Orion ignored her words and his wife's nod of support and instead turned to Sirius and Regulus with an excited expression on his face and childlike wonder shining bright in his eyes. "Are you ready, boys?"
"Yes!" Regulus said while Sirius pumped the air above him in enthusiasm.
"Glad to see two of my dear family members appreciating my efforts," Orion said loudly with a hint of snide in his voice to two of the most important woman in his life, both of whom retorted with identical sickly sarcastic smiles in answer- Lyra being cranky due to her lack of sleep and Walburga being cranky with the decision her husband had voiced out a few minutes ago to have them trek the mountain on foot like muggles. Orion was unfazed as he looked to the Snæfellsjökull mountain peak with a determined glint. "Let's go."
Orion had always been fascinated by hidden anythings, whether it be chambers or caves or portraits or hallways or everything. In fact, it had been him that had originally discovered all the underwater caves in the Slytherin Common Room along with quite a lot of the secret passageways, rooms and corridors at Hogwarts and passed the knowledge down to his children.
So nearly fifteen years ago when an Icelandic mountaineer, Hanna Arason, had discovered a hidden cave that was concealed from the eyes of the muggles at the peak of the Snæfellsjökull mountain, it had been Orion's dream to see it himself.
Unfortunately, there had always been things that had prevented him from doing so. Lyra had just turned two when the news first broke out and Orion had read in a parenting book (that he would firmly deny ever reading) that those years were very important to form imprints and impressions on the child. He didn't want to go to Iceland and see the caves only to return and realise that his own daughter didn't remember him anymore. That wasn't a sacrifice he was willing to make.
Soon after, Walburga announced she was pregnant and Sirius was born. Shortly after came Regulus. Going to Iceland and seeing the caves were no longer a priority for him and with each day he enjoyed fatherhood, the idea was pushed back into the corner of his mind until it slowly faded from his thoughts.
Then, just yesterday night when he was signing documents when the whole house was asleep, he came across the expenses for the Black Condo in Iceland and suddenly, everything came rushing back.
They were supposed to travel that year anyway, so why not go there now? The children were certainly old enough and it would be an adventure.
An actual adventure, that is.
He didn't want them to apparate right to the top of the mountain. He wanted them to enjoy the view as they slopped the rocks, feel the cool air brushing against their cheeks as they climbed and simply enjoy living.
Soon after they began the hike up, however, Orion realised that he may have miscalculated a bit.
His children and wife had grown up like royalty, everything being handed to them on a diamond platter and so, they never really experienced actually doing work of any sort. Or developed patience, if he was being honest.
And so, with every step he took on the sloppy mountain, Orion's confidence and enthusiasm dampened.
"SNAKE!" Sirius yelled, immediately jumping behind his sister and using her as a shield of protection, having developed a minor phobia to snakes after the incident last year involving him accidentally landing himself in the snake pit of their house.
"That's not a snake," Lyra said with amusement as she examined it closer. "It's a leaf."
"LEAF THAT LOOKS LIKE A SNAKE!" Sirius yelled, refusing to let go of his sister's sleeve, even as she rolled her eyes, whispered comforting words into his ears and slowly prompted him to continue walking along.
Sometime after, Sirius regained his confidence and began moving ahead of his family's pace on his own, curiously and boldly exploring. A little too boldly, actually, successfully making his father hold his hand tightly so that he didn't go wandering near the edges of the cliffs and Merlin forbids, accidentally falling down.
At one point of time, Regulus had tripped and gotten hurt and like the Black he was, managed to over dramatise it completely.
"I'm bleeding everywhere!"
"You scraped your knee on a boulder. You're fine." Orion said with a roll of his eyes.
Walburga had been no help on the matter, cooing over how her poor baby was hurt and in dire need of a hospital, partially in genuine concern but mostly so they could go back to relaxing in their Condo.
With a wave of his wand, Orion had made Regulus' minor hurt disappear along with Walburga's hopes of stopping the trek. Not that it stopped her from complaining the whole way, however.
"There's dirt, everywhere." Walburga scowled, looking at the ground with visible disgust.
"We're hiking, dear, that's kind of the point," Orion told her, prompting her to shoot him a glare.
"I'd rather be pecked to death by a flock of hummingbirds."
"That can be arranged."
At one point of time, Walburga had accidentally stepped her expensive, handmade shoes on the droppings of an Icelandic horse and wailed loud and mournful for her footwear.
"If it wasn't completely unethical, I would definitely blackmail you with this," Orion grinned, making Walburga roll her eyes.
"Because you're a shining beacon of ethics, aren't you?"
"I know there was a compliment somewhere in there and I'll take it."
"You filthy piece of shit!"
"Ah, there it is!" Orion smiled.
Even after the droppings had been vanished with a flick of his wand, Walburga still cried that the quality of her shoes had been ruined. It was only Orion's promise of buying her ten more pairs when they returned home that finally silenced her.
But still, her steps were slow and forced, so Orion stopped his daughter.
"I think you should help your mother," Orion told her, "I would do it myself, but I'm not exactly her favourite person today."
"You're not exactly my favourite person today either," Lyra said, lips twisted into an angry scowl.
"Or mine," Sirius added.
"Ditto," Regulus chirped in, nodding.
Both the boys' initial illusion of happiness shattered as tiredness began to consume them and they realised just how tall the mountain was and just how long they would actually take to climb it.
Lyra turned her back on her father, choosing instead to intertwine her hands with Regulus and Sirius' and help them both walk up the slippery, rocky mountain slope.
Walburga smirked smugly as she passed by him, leaning into her husband's ears and whispering, "Everyone here wants to kill you right now, but I promise I can do it the most efficiently." She smiled like nothing ever happened and continued climbing.
Orion stared at her form. "But you won't, right 'Burga?" He received no reply from her, so he began speed-climbing to catch up to her. "Walburga? Honey? Walburga, please answer me, sweetheart. Have I ever told you how absolutely gorgeous you look and how much I love you? I'm your husband, the father of your three beloved children. You won't actually kill me, right? Right, Walburga? Walburga-"
"Walburga, dearest, please forgive me." Orion pleaded, hands clasped together that gave the impression that he was begging.
Walburga scrunched up her nose. "Okay." She stated simply.
"Now, or in six years?" Orion asked dryly.
"Currently undecided." She answered, walking ahead and making Orion sigh.
"Father!" Lyra called out from where she was walking in front of the couple between her brothers. "How much longer? We've been walking forever."
"Yeah, dad, can't we just apparate to the peak?" Regulus wondered out loud.
"We won't apparate," Orion said sternly, answering his son's question first. "And Lyra, honey, it hasn't been forever. It's only been thirty minutes."
Lyra halted abruptly, pulling Sirius and Regulus back with her and almost making them fall. She turned to face him, fury and disbelief knitted in her features. "Thirty minutes?! It must have been more!"
"Well, thirty minutes and thirty-two seconds if you want to be precise," Orion answered.
Lyra blinked at him. "I'm done." She declared firmly. "I'll go back to the Condo or I'll apparate to the top and wait for you all there."
"Take me with you!" Regulus pleaded.
"Me as well!" Sirius cried.
"I'll join you," Walburga said, "The four of us- let's apparate to the top and let your lovely father climb since he enjoys it so much."
"No," Orion said and quickly accio'd all four of their wands to him, drawing protests as he pocketed them. "None of you are getting it back until we reach the top." He said, continuing to walk ahead and pointedly ignoring his family's objections.
Realising that Orion was deaf to their pleas, they all begrudgingly began to hike once more for what seemed to be another century. They had begun to trek after a short meal at around four in the morning Icelandic time. Now, the sun had already greeted them and still, the climb up the mountain showed no signs of stopping.
"Are we there yet?" Sirius asked for the hundredth time, exhaustion showing in the way he slowly and forcefully moved his legs.
"Yes," Orion replied.
"Really?"
Orion nodded. "We're about twenty minutes from the halfway point." He replied, feeling confused when his family let out tired and angry groans at his statement.
Regulus glared. "Couldn't you have sugarcoated that a little?"
"Oh, but the truth is so much more interesting!" Orion clapped his hands happily, prompting his wife and children to let out a loud groan in a union. "Now, come along! We have much to climb."
"We know!" They yelled at him simultaneously.
Sirius sighed. "Are you sure we're even going in the right direction? I mean, dad, there's nobody here. We're all alone and wait-" Sirius stopped abruptly, eyes widening. "Did you bring us here to die?"
"Obviously."
"I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not," Sirius said and Orion ignored him.
"Oh, don't worry, Sirius," Walburga told him softly. "If there does happen to be a murder here today, I can assure you it will be of your father's." She said, gently prompting him to continue to climb.
"But grandpa Archie's three day notice, mummy!" Sirius said pointedly.
Walburga pursed her lips thinly. "Right. That." She gave him a small smile. "Come on, let's go. Perhaps if we are lucky, we can accidentally push your father off a cliff or something. That doesn't count as a murder."
"I can hear you!" Orion called out to them.
"Take it as a warning then!" Walburga yelled back, holding Sirius' hands in hers as they both paired up to climb the mountain of misery together.
Six painful hours later, filled with whining and threats targeted at Orion with small breaks for water and pocketed energy bars in between, they finally reached the peak of the mountain, causing Lyra to lean against a boulder there for support while Sirius dramatically fell to the ground, completely exhausted and Regulus phanted on his knees for breath. Walburga was standing tall and proud, glaring at her husband as he looked at the view with thrilling awe.
Upon noticing that none of his family members was sharing his euphoria, Orion's eyebrows knitted into a frown as he handed them their wands cautiously. "We made it! We are finally at the peak! Come on, why aren't you all more excited!"
Walburga glared at him. "Well, I'm sorry for not reacting to this news with appropriate excitement, I'm really hungry."
"Me too!" Sirius agreed and Regulus nodded.
"Father, we're all tired and lacking sleep," Lyra said heatedly. "We haven't eaten in hours and it took us longer to climb this stupid mountain because you didn't let us apparate to the top!"
"The journey was more important than the destination," Orion said in the voice of a sage.
"It is most certainly not!" "No!" "Definitely not, dad" "It really isn't father", his family voiced out in varying disagreeing tones of anger and exhaustion.
Orion rolled his eyes at their remarks and after giving them a minute to compose themselves, gestured to the entrance of the secret cave, eyes shining like that of a little child's. "Come on," he said and with one last glare directed at him, his family walked in.
The truth was, the destination was honestly volumes better than the journey, but the tired labour only served to make them appreciate the view more because inside those caves and with the help of conjured bluebell flames, Lyra could see pure unfiltered beauty.
Fireflies few against the darkness of the background, giving the image of moving constellations on the earth. On the grounds of the cave and decorated all over its walls were ritualistic symbols, alchemy letters of the olde and intricate drawings of the human depiction of the gods.
It was gorgeous and it felt intimate, as if they had been transported in time to an age of olde and entered a sacred land.
Orion looked at his family's gapping faces with pride, happy that he had managed to wow them before he began explaining the history, the tales, the legends and the myths behind them all in a soft, soothing voice, truly transporting them into a world of its own as they took in all the magic and power that surrounded them in that special secret cave.